When it comes to computer safety and Internet security issues, even the best Internet security and computer Internet security software may be no match for the enemy within. Because it turns out that Microsoft announces an average of two new threats every week to your Microsoft Windows computer safety! That means that every single week, day in and day out, 52 weeks a year, there are two new ways that viruses and trojans can be put on your computer, through yet another two security holes in Microsoft Windows. And no, automatic Microsoft Windows updates and having Windows XP service pack 2 isn’t going to protect you.
Furthermore, the vast majority of these security holes are the sorts that allow “remote execution”. In plain English, this means that at least once a week – often twice – there is a new way that someone can take control of your PC remotely, and use it to send viruses and trojans to other people, to send spam, to send malware through instant messages, and to take part in a denial of service attack, adding your computer to the ever-growing network of millions of PCs that have been infected, all because of the fact that there are so many security flaws in Microsoft Windows.
An average of two new security flaws a week!
As hostile regimes continue to ramp up their efforts to hack into and take down the U.S computer infrastructure – as criminals and terrorists alike mount cyber attacks using the legion of infected PCs as their cyber armies – their best friend has been Microsoft Windows. And if those two new security flaws a week are aiding and abetting these activities, then what does that make them to us?
And why are we tolerating it?
The Internet Patrol is completely free, and reader-supported. Your tips via CashApp, Venmo, or Paypal are appreciated! Receipts will come from ISIPP.
CashApp us
Venmo us
Paypal us
If this were any other industry, the government would be mandating recalls – maybe even launching an investigation for criminal negligence.
In no other industry – in no other time in memory – has a company been able to get away with putting so many unsafe products in the hands of so many people, for such a long time, and with the potential to wreak such widespread havoc.
If Windows were a car, it would have been recalled six ways to Sunday.
Here are the security flaws discovered in just the past twelve weeks, more than half of which Microsoft itself deems “critical”, and eighteen of which can allow remote code execution:
Important: Vulnerability in MSN Messenger and Windows Live Messenger Could Allow Remote Code Execution
Important: Vulnerability in Windows Services for UNIX Could Allow Elevation of Privilege
Important: Vulnerability in Crystal Reports for Visual Studio Could Allow Remote Code Execution
Critical: Vulnerability in Microsoft Agent Could Allow Remote Code Execution
Critical: Vulnerability in Vector Markup Language Could Allow Remote Code Execution
Important: Vulnerability in Virtual PC and Virtual Server Could Allow Elevation of Privilege
Important: Vulnerabilities in Windows Gadgets Could Allow Remote Code Execution
Important: Vulnerabilities in Windows Media Player Could Allow Remote Code Execution
Critical: Vulnerability in GDI Could Allow Remote Code Execution
Critical: Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer
Critical: Vulnerability in Microsoft Excel Could Allow Remote Code Execution
Critical: Vulnerability in OLE Automation Could Allow Remote Code Execution
Critical: Vulnerability in Microsoft XML Core Services Could Allow Remote Code Execution
Important: Vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Information Services Could Allow Remote Code Execution
Critical: Vulnerabilities in .NET Framework Could Allow Remote Code Execution
Critical: Vulnerability in Windows Active Directory Could Allow Remote Code Execution
Moderate: Vulnerability in Windows Vista Firewall Could Allow Information Disclosure
Important: Vulnerability in Microsoft Office Publisher 2007 Could Allow Remote Code Execution
Critical: Vulnerabilities in Microsoft Excel Could Allow Remote Code Execution
Critical: Vulnerability in Win 32 API Could Allow Remote Code Execution
Critical: Cumulative Security Update for Outlook Express and Windows Mail
Critical: Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer
Moderate: Vulnerability in Windows Vista Could Allow Information Disclosure
Critical: Vulnerability in the Windows Schannel Security Package Could Allow Remote Code Execution
Important: Vulnerabilities in Microsoft Visio Could Allow Remote Code Execution
Keep in mind, this isn’t unusual – you could pick any twelve-week period, and it would look roughly the same. Remember – an average of two new security flaws a week!
So where is the Ralph Nadar of the Internet when we need him? Because Microsoft Windows is clearly unsafe at any speed.
And you, why are you still driving such an inherently unsecure – unsecurable – system? Are you part of the solution, or part of the problem? Just what is keeping you from switching to a safer, more secure computer?
The Internet Patrol is completely free, and reader-supported. Your tips via CashApp, Venmo, or Paypal are appreciated! Receipts will come from ISIPP.
CashApp us
Venmo us
Paypal us
The only reason that the thiefs go after windows is because it is the one that most people have. If everyone had macs they would go after the macs. But knowing that the world runs on windows doesn’t that mean that Microsoft has some kind of responsibility to make sure that windows is (more) secure? Being a nearly monopoly should require them to be more responsible about security i think.
The only reason there are more security threats in Windows is because the bad guys are concentrating there efforts on it since more people use it than the others. If Linux or Apple were more popular than Windows then they would target them more. The same thing is happening with the browsers, as Firefox has gotten more popular more flaws are showing up cause the bad guys are looking at it more.
What concerns me most is the fact that, for better or worse in other matters, all computing is becoming more ubiquiteously uniform.
Linux is a standard with variable parameters.
Now Apple is basically Linux/Intel based, so it’s about the same as Linux.
M$ has never had an original idea in their software – just more pushy about how much and how often they want to shut it down.
In times past, there were paucities in uniformity: C/PM, DEC-Vax, Commodore, Apple, TI, Adam, ad infinitum. Today, it’s the “Big Three” all over again.
Can’t see that M$ – for all their other problems and m$adventure$ is going to be the only u$eful tool in the crib.
The problem is that ignorant people (the majority) elect ignorant fools (“political leaders”) who enact insane legislation – hoping the Judges (ex-lawers/liars) can sort out the mess passed in the various legislatures.
There’s too great a commitment to ignorance and sloth to expect a workable solution.
It doesn’t help to blame the ignorant user who buys a computer to send e-mails and photos around to his/her friends. They’re not culpable; they’re just ignorant, … therefore innocent passive tools.
If the DOD is concerned about the attacks, then let the DOD figure out a way to secure their own system, not attack all the millions of ignorant users.
I can’t imagine that you – or anyone – could be so callous as to think that a user, be they young or old; PhD or illiterate, is unpatriotic or a “National Security Risk” simply because they can’t understand how their machine may be constantly used for the country’s enemies. The PC salesforce assured the unwitting public that computers were for everybody, not just the techno-savy.
The day when smart men could control the world is not even in visible history. Every fool, and his kids, have computers. It’s an undeniable fact. It isn’t going away now. Prevention is too late.
Control is going to require a different approach because stupid people still propagate. It’s Nature’s Law; like it or not. You can’t change things by appealing to stupid people to think. It’s insane and you’re outnumbered.
One must move to control the traffic, not the zillions of bad drivers. If there are hundreds of millions of computers left on 24/7 in the homes of stupid people, and if they’re going to be too stupid and lazy to turn them on and off, then some other method must be implimented to stop their bots from acting.
Plain and simple
I don’t see anywhere where they have suggested that Apple or Linux are better. I see them saying that Windows has serious problems. Can you really say with a straight face that isn’t te case?
Your comments are not worthy of you.
Take a look at Apple – 23 issues at one time needed to be fixed for an OS that represents a few measly percent of the world market. Read the Secunia weekly report on OS’s – including all flavors of Linux, Unix, etc. – and application vulnerabilities. The suggestion that MS is somehow the only one worthy of blame is laughable if you watch the security reports.
While all suppliers do a so-so job of securing their products, it is important to keep in mind that offering a system that permits sharing should not be condemned because people who spend their lives trying to cheat and break it sometimes succeed.
For better or worse, the majority of buusiness software vendors write only for MS products. Do you seriously mean to berate users with literally no choice in their OS?
Do you truly believe that there is an inherent, inviolable mastery of security issues in any other OS? By all means, do publish the claim and find out what the world thinks.
You can and have done better…
What makes you think that Apples or Linux is any safer? How many security flaws a week does Apple issue patches for?
“And you, why are you still driving such an inherently unsecure – unsecurable – system? Are you part of the solution, or part of the problem? Just what is keeping you from switching to a safer, more secure computer?”
I have tried. I have installed or used live CDs of dozens of Linux distros in the attempt. There is no Linux distro which will allow the operation of all features of any of my computers without modifications which are beyond my capabilities.