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Microsoft Gets Serious About Security? | |
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| Time: 00:00 EST/05:00 GMT | News Source: Washington Post | Posted By: Todd Richardson | ||
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Don't think you're special if Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates sends you an e-mail. In fact, unless you're somehow connected to the world's richest person, don't open the e-mail at all, especially if the from address says "bill@microsoft.com." Once again, Microsoft is at the center of an Internet security problem, with yet another anonymous hacker exploiting vulnerabilities in Microsoft's operating system. This time, an e-mail worm is using Gates's name and a fictional e-mail address to trick users. If opened, the variant of the "Sobig" e-mail virus can mine e-mail addresses from computers and resend itself to other victims. Sobig has been spreading recently with subject lines like "Re: Screensaver" and "Re: Your Application." The Gates-themed virus is officially called Sobig.C. | ||
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| #1 By 2332 (65.221.182.2) at 6/4/2003 11:22:49 PM |
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Seems to me that this exploits the stupidity of computer users, not Windows.
DON'T OPEN ATTACHMENTS FROM PEOPLE YOU DON'T KNOW. This no more exploits a vulnerability in Windows than if I went to a web site, downloaded an unknown file, and ran it. What are they supposed to do? Prevent people from downloading files or receiving e-mail attachments? |
| #2 By 135 (208.50.204.91) at 6/4/2003 11:29:28 PM |
| VirusScan keeps deleting these attachments for me. |
| #3 By 3653 (209.149.57.116) at 6/4/2003 11:43:49 PM |
| Common sense keeps deleting these attachments for me. |
| #4 By 12071 (203.185.215.149) at 6/5/2003 12:39:48 AM |
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#1 Whilst I don't disagree that this is more of an user issue rather than it is a OS issue there is some validity to the statement that a dumbed down application or OS for that matter will attract dumbed down users or at least not penalise dumbed down users.
Knowing that users will just randomly click and open things all over the place the application/OS developers should know this and built sandboxes of some kind (for instance). Whilst this will not eliminate the problem, i.e. an administrator or 'root' user will still be able to break things, it should minimise the number of such incidents. Windows does this to an extent, but quite honestly that extent could be enhanced - and that goes for every application and OS in existance. Given that computers are used (quite rightly) by everyone, regardless of intellect, applications and OS' should be written to best handle these sorts of issues. |
| #5 By 2332 (65.221.182.2) at 6/5/2003 9:19:07 AM |
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Again, I ask what Microsoft could do to compenstate for user stupidity in this case?
My Outlook Express is hardened to the point that I can't even click on an attachment by default. I actually have to pretend to forward it, then I can open the file. Even if I could open the file, it presents a warning dialog box saying that it could kill me any my whole family if I open it. Should Microsoft now require you to sign a written release and wait 30 days for approval? Come on. |
| #6 By 12071 (203.217.66.148) at 6/5/2003 9:53:05 AM |
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#5 Dammit.... I never get any of the "you've won a million dollars" ones, mine are mainly about getting another university degree and debt financing! ehheeh
#7 I didn't say Microsoft should have to compensate stupid users, I said they should do *more* to protect those users from themselves. If you and I know that there are plently of people randomly clicking on things, opening attachments and god knows what else, then I'm fairly sure Microsoft are aware of exactly the same thing! Not being able to click on the attachment was a start, but you've already found a very simple workaround to that - do you think you're the only one who has? do you not think that people will try clicking all sorts of buttons and menus until they've found a way of running the file? The warning dialog box is also a good addition, it's one additional step (for those users that care to read it at least) to making sure users are made aware of the issue. What else could Microsoft do? For a start any attachment regardless of what type it is should be run in a sandbox and by a low priviledged user. Perhaps implement a mechanism whereby an attachment, whether it be a script or an executable file, if and only if it is launched from an email doesn not have access to the scripting elements or maybe just the address book and the ability to automatically send emails. I'm sure there are plenty of things that could and should be implemented. And this goes for any email client written by anyone for use by the public. |
| #7 By 9589 (68.17.52.2) at 6/5/2003 12:45:48 PM |
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#9 - I've been adjusting those rabbit ears on top of my TV (actually there on top of that MSN TV box now) and I can't seem to get any e-mail. Please advise?
Also, those frozen pizza makers said nothing about NOT putting the box in the oven along with the pizza. I almost burned down the house the other day when it caught on fire. And, yes, I took the plastic off of it. What do you think, I am stupid? I am sueing . . . somebody! |
| #8 By 135 (208.50.204.91) at 6/5/2003 7:17:59 PM |
| What happened? Did sodalinux decide to start posting as cba-3.14? |
| #9 By 135 (208.50.204.91) at 6/5/2003 10:14:26 PM |
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JaggedFlame - Yeah, no point in bashing Microsoft... plenty of other people doing that for me. :)
cba-3.14 - Ok, the fence is down. The SCO case. I've never much liked SCO. But I think it's funny. They're getting burned for flirting with the GPL, like most other companies have done. But they're taking a different tactic, one of attacking back, whereas most just disappear into the night so they're getting flamed by the Linux community rather than simply ignored. It honestly doesn't have much impact on the computing industry, other than to make people more aware of the dark side of the Linux community. SCO isn't really doing anything wrong, unexpected or new, no matter how much hand waving you hear from Eric Raymond. |
| #10 By 135 (208.50.204.91) at 6/5/2003 11:52:22 PM |
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cba - Well, it's a test and it certainly involves the GPL, but it's not testing the license itself but rather the business philosophy surrounding the license. You are right though that the license will be tested if evidence is found to support SCO's claim. I realize the GPL states they have to rip out the code, but there still may be a penalty and who is going to pay that? Apparently IBM, we'll see.
As to SCO still using Linux. I think that complaint is mostly hand waving. |
| #11 By 135 (208.50.204.91) at 6/5/2003 11:53:57 PM |
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BTW, anybody seen this Bugbear worm?
Slashdot is claiming it's the worst thing since ILoveYou. It didn't show up at work today, haven't seen it at home. Seems like a non event. |
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