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Does Microsoft show hackers how to attack?
© Jim Edwards - All Rights reserved
http://www.thenetreporter.com
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After another security hole recently surfaced in Microsoft's Windows
operating system, the software giant released a patch this past Friday
to plug the possibly devastating "back door" which allows hackers
to potentially seize control of any pc running Windows.
The latest threat, "Download.Ject," infiltrates computers after
users surfing with Microsoft's "Internet Explorer" web browser
visit websites infected with the virus.
This newest security patch covers Windows XP, 2000, and Windows Server
2003.
Several factors make this latest development more disturbing than past
discoveries of security problems with Internet Explorer, currently the
most dominant web browser on the market.
First, it demonstrates very clearly that criminals discovered they can
use the power of viruses to very profitably steal important bank, personal,
and credit data from people on a large scale.
Second, it took Microsoft what many would consider a very long time to
come up with a patch for this problem.
Before a fix appeared, Microsoft told everyone who uses Internet Explorer
to stick their finger in the dyke by putting their web browser security
settings on high, rendering it impossible to view or use features on many
websites and web-based services.
Third, expect this to happen again as new holes open in the future when
Microsoft makes Windows more complicated, adds layers of code, and generally
makes the operating system more complex.
This may sound like business as usual, however, I think this story actually
points to a much deeper problem, one for which I'm not sure a simple solution
exists.
Though free and reasonably reliable, many people do not automatically
update their Windows operating system through the update service on Microsoft's
website. (I won't even get into how many people don't operate up-to-date
anti-virus
protection.)
Whenever Microsoft publishes a security update, especially for a highly
publicized and obviously widespread security breach, thousands of people
will not immediately download the update.
In fact, tens-of-thousands of users will not download these security
updates for days, weeks, even months (if ever).
So let me ask what seems like a very elementary question: By publishing
security updates that point out very obvious flaws in their system, doesn't
Microsoft also point the way to exactly where the holes exist?
Let me put it another way.
Doesn't this rate the same as discovering that the local bank vault won't
lock and then announcing the details on the front page of the paper along
with the dates and times no bank guard will be on duty?
After all, if tens-of-thousands of users won't immediately get the Microsoft
Security Patch, don't those patches show hackers exactly which holes get
plugged (and which, logically, must already be open without the patch)?
It doesn't take a hacker with more than a basic set of skills to recognize
where and what holes got fixed and then reverse-engineer how they can
get into computers that don't get updated.
Now, do I have a concrete, 100% bullet-proof answer to this problem?
Unfortunately, I don't have more than a common- sense answer...
At this point, your best defense rates staying current on the latest
threats and how to defend against them.
Keep your anti-virus software current, your firewall up, and your Windows
software updated with the latest security patches.
Though not a perfect solution, at least you'll have a fighting chance
to prevent, or at least minimize, any possible threats.
For more information from Microsoft's website, go here http://www.ebookfire.com/download-ject.html
About the author
Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist and the co-author
of an amazing new ebook that will teach you how to use fr-e articles
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