What the Hell is wrong with security?

[malcontent]

MSBlaster, Nimbda, Code Red, the Love Bug, SOBig, Mellissa, what the hell is wrong with operating systems that allow Viruses to run rampent

Sub7Backdoor, Backorifice, Netbus, Why the hell is Windows so insecure and why are there so many Trojans/backdoors out and about?

As part of some research I have been doing I have found that there are too many software vendors who ignore the fact that "design phillosophy" is important to keeping their products secure. A nice example is the windows scripting and VBscript in programs like oOutlook, it is more popular to make the products "cool" and "fun to use" rather than to make sure things don't go wrong.

What bad security experiences have you lot had (700 infected files on one machine is mine)?

 

[serjer]

becoz ppl LoV MS & BilL

 

[banzibaby]

Yeah, M$ product security has always been non existant, they get hit so much not just cause they are on most desktops, but also cause all the so called good ideas/features they put in just seem 2 make it easier 4 the script kiddies 2 have a field day ie activeX, WSH & VBS.The M$Blaster actually exploited an old hole in NT/2k/XP

I still remember M$ sating that XP would be the most secure OS ever & yet on its release date, there were already quite a few patches & bug fixes, they seem 2 think that it ok 2 thro in as many useless features as possible & then worry about patching them later

Nowadays i use 2 A/V progs 2 scan any files i download, NOD as my main scanner with Avast 4.1 as a backup, Nod is great 4 viruses, but its archive scanning is crap 2 say the least, Avast is much better at that & also with trojans, best thing is the home version of Avast is free (just register 2 get a serial key & U are set

I only really been hit bad once & that was with CIH, lost a mobo 2 that

BaNzI

 

[The-poacher]

Unfortunately Microsux are a big big BIG

corporation and the drive for profit overides all other concerns <> ergo only when it affects them directly & in the pocket do they do something.

Us little guys have no chance of influencing them.

 

[VIPER_1069]

700 files ?! that sux

I hope that you have managed to clear them all out !?

and protected yourself with ANTI VIRUS/FIREWALL protection

One SURE FIRE way of gettin infected or caught is opening attachments in emails

Try avoid attachments all together with emails... wherever possible ask people who are wanting to send stuff via email to send it to a WEBMAIL as these are VIRII Scanned by the web mails server on arrival... and i would say they are 99% effective against most virii out there as they are kept updated regular

Also downloads from NON SAFE Sites are usually a problem .... a lot of sites promising warez and cracks and serials more often than not have infected files so they are to be avoided as this is another direct way of gettin caught

Keep your system updated with windows patches and fixes on a regular basis and keep virus definitions/updates updated as often as possible ...i have my AVG set to update daily ... people assume updates are only released on a weekly basis ... the problem here is that virii coders release new stuff daily, so anti viri makers have to keep up with these and release minor updates wherever possible

 

[zver]

security

Windows are unsecure couse this f..kin` world is full of jelaus people who hates bill gates guts..and they would even pay to see him down in a sh.t...Also,apparently,they are bored and they dont have nothing smarter to do then hacking winblows...

 

[scarecrow]

My main OS for almost one year is Mandrake Linux... at starts without firewall and antivirus, currently with both antivirus (Avast) and an iptables firewall. Life has been way easier since the migration, and I miss NONE of the winblows features- they are here too, you just have to figure out how to implement and use them...
No, i don't suggest you doing the quantum leap- just thinking about it. The wrold of free software ( and I DO mean free- not hacked or stolen- its very easy for commercial Linux products to hack or steal them...) will open you a totally new window to PC usage.

 

[PC-GUY]

Windows are unsecure couse this f..kin` world is full of jelaus people who hates bill gates guts..and they would even pay to see him down in a sh.t...Also,apparently,they are bored and they dont have nothing smarter to do then hacking winblows...

Wait so then you think its ok for billie to sell a buggy os and then don't fix them and then go on to a new buggy os? Also lets not forget how when the us government took him to court and what a joke that turned out to be. I wonder who billie paid off for that. I'm still waiting for the us government to write him a check for his time and court cost and tell him where sorry to have bothered you. IMO companys like billies get to shit all over regular people and the government lets it happen cause of how much money he gives them. I think it wrong and I'm still waiting to see billie hit with another pie. I'm not a hacker just someone who would like a refund for buying windows me and finding it to be the buggiest os yet.

PS. Lets not forget what os billie runs hes web sites on so he knows how unsecure he's own os's are.

 

[zver]

Me is bad..thats true..But win 98 is ok,2000 is close to perfect,xp too...Also about that court thing..Guy got a money..so he manipulated a system..If you would have all that money you wouldnt play by the rules too....Also blaming Bill Gates for insecurity is like blaming Mr.Kalashnjikov for all those killed by his mashineguns...Anyway....You got a choice..you can use that linux and enjoy loading the kernels or whatever is called.....Anyuway....off to watch a movie

 

[zver]

Just to add on your quote""Wait so then you think its ok for billie to sell a buggy os and then don't fix them and then go on to a new buggy......".Dont buy it..DONT BUY IT!!!!!!!!!!!!When i buying something..I check the product first......If im not sure that product is good and if there is no return policy-i dont buy..PERIOD!!!!
Im not trying to be rude...im just tired of people blaming Bill Gates for everything..

 

[PC-GUY]

You know in life if I buy a new car if that car breaks down too much and I bring it back they buy that car back. Its called the lemon law!!! Before I bought Microshit's Me I read the reviews and they said it was good well it was isn't. It became so bad MS gave up on it to. You know why the reviews said it was so good Billies got money. It the same reason Leo on tech tv can talk about how bad about MS is but it doesn't make it to their website. Well where is my refund? You know why I willn't get a refund cause like you said "Guy got a money..so he manipulated a system", So we all pay the price!!! I expect if I buy a product and it doesn't work the way it was discribe as to work I get my money back!!! Well I glad they mess with hes OS's becaues maybe some other big company may get mad and take him on cause thats the only way the system is going to change.
If you think the goverment is going to do anything about it you have another thing coming. Also I hope it cost a hole hell of a lot of money when his severs went down before he switched to a better os (that wasn't his). Like I said I waiting to see the next pie so I can laugh some more.

 

[banzibaby]

Well i agree about ME, it was simply a huge fopar on M$'s side, based on 9x, but had probs with a lot of stuff & hardware that worked perfectly on 9x, but U gotta remember, Bill Gates is the son of a very shrewd lawer, so he knows how to play the system, maybe it wrong to blame him, but he is the main face & spokesperson of M$

I would love to move to a form of linux, some of the ones i have seen are very good, but are still a bit to technical for the averge person, most folk want somethiong to run right out the box, not compile a kernal for their system, but i can see Linux becoming evermore widespread as it gets easier to setup & use

M$ has millions of bugtesters & beta testers & yet every new release is still riddles with holes & flaws, but like i have always said, the more features U implement, the more chance of show stopping bugs

BaNzI

 

[malcontent]

Why does everyone think that they need to compile a kernel?

I've only ever done that once because it just isn't needed (and I needed to research a few new ways to fry on OS)!

 

[dx]

Im not trying to be rude...im just tired of people blaming Bill Gates for everything..

I agree... all this M$ bashing is getting old. If it wasn't for Billie Boy, computers would still be damned expensive and out of reach of the common person.

In the end, if you don't like M$, Bill Gates, his billions, bla bla... then don't buy his products. Linux and Mac OS are excellent alternatives, but are far from bullet proof. Each OS had its summits and pitfalls... it is YOU who must decide what and how much you can tolerate.

You are not Lemmings, you do have a choice in all this... so use it!

 

[The-poacher]

Yep

I thank Bill for a lot of what hes done

I chastise Bill for the rest of what hes done

& I double chastise him for what hes not done

but as stated where would puters be without Microsux???

 

[malcontent]

At least I commend Bill on setting up a VERY Successful business, and I would love to have that much money but of course Microsoft has the problems normally associated with a Monopoly. Microsoft did not invent anti-competitive business practicies (now those in the UK will remember the fiasco of the internet, there were no unmetered internet connections until Oftel FORCED BT to set them up)

Now Windows XP firewall is to be switched on automatically, this is a good thing, even if the firewall is a total bag of S**te and does not have all the functions that would be associated with a good quality firewall. I think the security problems could be helped if there was better teaching. All children in UK schools learn at least some level of IT, why not put things like practical security in the curriculum, learn what is a firewall and why it is good (and why banks never send E-Mails asking for users to confirm security details, yes people DO fall for it). If we can teach the next generation at least a little about how to stay safe on the internet, there would be drop in incididents, and a drop in stam because there woud not be as many remote hijacked Spam machines (that goes for DDOS)