Microsoft Security guys have fun at Mac loyalist’s expense

bettieblue Re the chirping crickets... Did you even read the tiny post at the top of this thread?

subzero Actually, the reports say Vista is still more secure than any OS on the market, just not quite as secure as it had been if anybody even bothers exploiting this.

What a wonderful advertisement for the Wow! http://www.smh.com.au/news/off-the-field/bills-blue-screen-of-death-malf...

"Yet where is Apple on the issues with Safari?" ....or iTunes, or Quicktime, or MobileMe....

Here's a nice little tidbit to make the Mackie's bite their tongue: "The team....discovered that many iPhone users were getting “owned” as soon as they walked onto the [Defcon] convention floor because most users unknowingly have their phones set to automatically connect to available wireless networks. Of course this is a horrible feature to leave enabled at Defcon because the wireless network is considered to be the most hostile in the world. By the second day of the convention, the Wall of Sheep screen displayed a helpful reminder to iPhone users – “You don’t want your phone auto-connecting to *anything*”" Enjoy.

"I mean NBC is in the pocket of MS or the other way around. So one would imagine that MS should have some say over this." NBC isn't the one putting on the Olympics. Sorry.

"The link you provided talks about an unpatched system running Windows XP." Yes, that's because "mikegalos" started his hypothetical rant (the one I was responding to) with: "If you put a Windows computer on the Internet without an antivirus ".

@Avro "with sales at about 10 million a year I reckon there would be about 100 million in service at the moment" There are plenty of people around that like to misinterpret stats .... so let's at least try and give them some more accurate figures to start with. Apple has NOT sold even 100 million Macs since 1984, least of all having them all still "in service". They have never sold 10 million Macs in a year, although they may do this year. Apple's estimated user base is approaching 30 million.

@mikegalos@msn.com stated: subzero Actually, the reports say Vista is still more secure than any OS on the market, just not quite as secure as it had been if anybody even bothers exploiting this. My Comments: Mike, I said Vista WILL STILL be the most secure os on the market. I wouldn't be still using Vista if I did not believe wholeheartedly in the products efficiency and effectiveness. Infact, our household is planning the puchase of two additional Vista notebook. It will bring the total Vista machines in our house to five. There is one XP desktop but that will probably be upgraded to Vista when my father gets around to it. I've been a Microsoft customer since 1996, a user of MIcrosoft products since 1993 in school. I appreciate your thoroughness with your knowledge of MIcrosoft history and personal experiences. But I have to admit there are times when you go overboard. I appreciate your enthuiasm about Microsoft and its history but it isn't necessary to attack each and every incorrect statement on this board. Some of the guys in here make themselves look like fools. These guys in here aren't going to change people's minds about Vista, Microsoft, or Apple for that matter. Its that presumptive arrogance that will be their folly. Peace.

subzero I'm not worried about changing people's minds. A certain percent of the population are immune to facts. I just don't like misinformation or opinions passed off as unchallengable truths.

"In fact, has it been verified that the picture in that article is even authentic and un-doctored?" Well, apparently the young girl singing and the "footprints" have been doctored, so one can only predict.... http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080812/oly_firewor...

@Avro - Did you even read the article? I think it pretty much shows up your "two worlds" bull crap. I use Windows, no antivirus, and surprise surprise, I've had no infections (even with the occasional online scan to prove your kind wrong even further). Think I'm atypical? This is on a network of a handful of Windows boxen (and other boxen of course), and my users aren't overly technical. No infections for them either.

Yert, that was kinda my point. That stats or incidence of infection on a computer with appropriate settings and updated software includine AV is more important. Here's why. We have or PACS workstations that few have the logon password. They run XP and one had over 36 trojans [probably a variant of one infection, but I am not sure, but that is what is more typical]. Our IT do not touch these GE PACS WS as GE takes care of them. However, they are almost never updated. That means no security patches and the AV software definitions was 14 months old! But this infection would be included in the tally, but was certainly NOT adequately protected, especially these days when you can have it all automatically updated in the background. So the real infection rate should be tallied for those exposed vs those adequately protected. I still think that those that have no chance of exposure should be tallied to the negative, but there is no such data as I suggested, or at least that I have ever seen. BTW, I just about blew a fuse when I discovered the infection and got our IT involved to 'help' better manage the GE computers. After all, mostly my partners [doctors] use that computer. If you saw me, you would understand why they fear me.

@DOC: Your IT staff should be monitoring situations that can affect your network environment, whether or not others manage certain components of it. This sounds simple, but this is what they should do with GE: 1) Make a list of all of the connection points between PACS and the rest of your production environment. These would include software connections, such as database connections, as well as network connections, IP addresses, subnets, protocols, etc. Sounds complicated and time-consuming, but it's really not. 2) Make a list of all of the software on those machines (makes notes about EACH machine), as well as the update status of each component/app. Should take about 10 minutes per machine. 3) Analyze the results, and list the ramifications of the software environment in question (ie. no security updates = big attack surface, no updated AV defs = virus heaven, software update not applied = missing features, etc.) 4) Write up a proposal on how to fix and/or workaround the problems. Can Windows Automatic Updates be turned on, for example? Should they be managed with Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) to control updates? Your IT staff should be able to answer those questions. 5) Present it to the GE people that manage those systems, and require a timeframe on when those issues can be fixed, as well as a new work contract which spells out maintenance terms. Include a list of compensatory terms in the event that maintenance isn't performed in a timely manner or with satisfactory results (similar to a "service level agreement"). 6) (VERY IMPORTANT) Review your contracts on a regular interval, be it every 3-6 months, or when you deem it acceptable. Upon contract renewal, restrict the terms even more, so that the company/people don't get lax in their duties. So there you go. Get your IT staff to work, and go break some balls! ;)