Reliance on Microsoft called risk to U.S. security

Reuters ^ | 09/24/2003 | Unattributed

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Heh.

[TomServo]

Already posted here.

[SengirV]

Well DUHHHHHH!!!

[Eala]

"I wouldn't put all of the blame on Microsoft," Schneier said, "the problem is the monoculture."

Far be it from me to defend Microsoft (living in Redmond, one ends up working with ex-Microsofties), but in this case I think Schneier is correct. The dominance of Microsoft makes them the target with the biggest payoff.

Linux is not immune -- I see advisories for it as well. But (maybe I'm lucky) I have yet to encounter a Linux virus or worm, as opposed to the dozens of Windows attacks I've seen.

[observer5]

" "I wouldn't put all of the blame on Microsoft," Schneier said, "the problem is the monoculture."

Did he mean "mafiaculture"?

[upchuck]

Microsoft spokeswoman Ginny Terzano: "The widespread use of Microsoft products around the world means we are constantly working to be responsive when vulnerabilities occur."

C'mon Ginny, is that the best you can do? The largest software company in the universe is, "responsive when vulnerabilities occur?"

Micro$loth, as usual, reacts.

Hey Ginny, maybe you guyz could try being responsive before vulnerabilities occur? You know, be pro-active instead of re-active? Jeez, what a concept!

[Delphster]

Maybe the Indians can write a secure operating system.

[waterstraat]

Microsoft is also making major expansion of its tech engineers by outsourcing in communist asia and other parts of asia, not much national security in that either.

[Cicero]

None of these recent worms and viruses would have had any effect at all if people had just installed the updates. It's sheer laziness.

[Abcdefg]

Can you define Stalinism as it pertains to Linux?

[Bush2000]

the Computer & Communications Industry Association's meeting of industry leaders and government officials in Washington, D.C...

Not surprisingly, the CCIA is comprised of Microsoft's competitors: Sun, Oracle, Intuit, AOL, etc. I can't imagine why its competitors wouldn't want you to use Microsoft products ... /SARCASM

[Of course, EuroTrash Reuters didn't think that it was relevant to disclose who the CCIA's members are -- or why they have a conflict of interest in issuing such a report]

[Bush2000]

Can you define Stalinism as it pertains to Linux?

Sure, but put on your Mao jacket first...

IBM to launch Linux technology center in south China

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Already posted here.

I searched by title using "microsoft" before I posted.

Neither my posting or your link shows up.

I can't explain it.

[TomServo]

That really is strange that the search for MS didn't show up. But I did my search like this.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I will use that search from now on, but the title search should have worked.

[Abcdefg]

I don't have a Mao jacket or a Nehru jacket, for that matter. I do have a Sharp Zaurus PDA. Does that make me a bad person?;^)

[Bush2000]

I don't have a Mao jacket or a Nehru jacket, for that matter.

+5 points...

I do have a Sharp Zaurus PDA. Does that make me a bad person?;^)

+0 points.

[Abcdefg]

Okay, how about actually purchased Visual C# and attempting to learn it? A humbling (bumbling?)experience, I assure you.

[First_Salute]

FR posting, July 15, 2003, by TopDog2

Microsoft Wins Homeland Security Contract

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Department of Homeland Security said on Tuesday it has awarded a five-year, $90 million enterprise (news - web sites) agreement to Microsoft Corp (Nasdaq:MSFT - news) to become the department's primary technology provider.

Under the contract, Microsoft will supply desktop and server software to the newly created department, which has merged parts of 22 different agencies into one entity.

The agreement delivers licensing coverage for about 140,000 desktops and will help the department to establish a common computing environment, Homeland Security said in a statement.

Dell Marketing LP. was selected as the reseller, to provide the day-to-day management of the enterprise agreement, it said.

 

FR posting, July 31, 2003, by FairOpinion

Government (Homeland Security) issues second warning on Microsoft security flaw

LOS ANGELES - The Department of Homeland Security has issued an unprecedented second warning to Internet users about a security flaw in Microsoft Corp. software that could leave about 75 percent of the country's computers vulnerable to hacker attacks.

The latest warning comes two weeks after Microsoft issued a bulletin notifying computer users it had discovered a critical flaw in its most common Windows operating systems, including its newest versions, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003.

The flaw can let hackers use the Internet to seize control of users' machines to steal files, read e-mails and launch wide-scale computer virus and ``worm'' attacks that could seriously damage the Internet.