Microsoft Sets Price To Fix Its Own Security Holes
from the tricky-question dept
Last year we noted the extremely difficult spot Microsoft was in with its security efforts. If they charged for their new security products, people would complain that they were charging people to fix the vulnerabilities in their own software. However, if they gave the software away, then it would turn some heads concerning anti-trust questions, since they would basically be undercutting all those other security software firms out there. It appears that Microsoft has made its choice between the two options -- deciding to avoid the anti-trust issues by simply charging for their security offerings. It's going to cost $50/year which is about what others charge. It would appear that Microsoft figured a little bad publicity over the charging is much better re-awakening the Justice Department concerning anti-trust violations.Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
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and then there's that other thing...
Let's see... $50/yr * millions of users vs. no money...
Yes, I see now, it's all about avoiding the evil DOJ.
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Free is a problem?
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Re: Free is a problem?
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Re: Free is a problem?
You mean crappily written software like Microsoft Office?
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Re: Free is a problem?
If you have to spend ten minutes of your time per day to make sure that:
1) You have the latest signatures for anti-virus
2) You have the latest signatures for anti-spyware
3) Your firewall is still up
Weekly:
1) Check your anti-virus, anti-spyware logs
2) Verify latest urgent MS Security Updates
3) Verify with full scans for viruses and spyware
Then it is not free. Your time is worth something.
Using MAC OS X for some (and I mean some) users is a very viable alternative. To eliminate alternatives is to eliminate any proactive action, you are only reacting to the situation.
I use the best system (either Win/Mac) for the task.
Microsoft (or any other company) loves you to believe you do not have a choice. And that is the trap.
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I don't want no stickin money
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Microsoft charging 50 a year for updates.
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No Subject Given
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There is a solution to bugs and viruses....
Disclaimer-to all you Windoze fanboys out there, please don't send unintelligent hate mail responses to me. I will only accept intelligent well thought out arguments against this........oh yeah, i forgot there are no arguments against it for the average user. the only intelligent response would be to say that you are forced to use Windows for work or else your programs won't work. but I guess with the new Intel chips inside, even that argument holds no ground.
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Re: There is a solution to bugs and viruses....
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Re: There is a solution to bugs and viruses....
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Re: There is a solution to bugs and viruses....
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There is a solution to bugs and viruses....
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Re: There is a solution to bugs and viruses....
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Re: There is a solution to bugs and viruses....
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Re: There is a solution to bugs and viruses....
As a Windows user, I really am getting sick and tired of dealing with anti-virus software. Anti-trust risks or no, as a customer, MS owes me at no additional cost, and everyone else, the software necessary to put their OS in the same time zone as secure. It's not my fault an unsecured Windows machine can be completely PWNED in minutes, far faster than you can download the appropriate updates to fix the problem.
I don't expect perfection, but I shouldn't have to shell out ~$50/year per machine just to prevent my system from getting damaged. I'm an experienced user, I know what you shouldn't do, but when your OS is as riddled with flawed security design as Windows, just being smart isn't enough.
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Huh?
You see, I use Mac OS-X, and I've never experienced these strange phenomena. Not once. Ever. ;)
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Re: Huh?
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Re: Huh?
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Re: Huh?
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Re: Huh?
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Re: Huh?
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Re: Huh?
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Re: Huh?
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Re: Huh?
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Re: Huh?
I can deny that. Where is your proof of this? There is none. Windows has an overwhelming majority markey share of individual PCs in the world - any malware writer is going to target the widest base. You have the best and the brightest putting a tremendous amount of effort into bringing down Windows machines.
Is anyone bothering with MacOS? I wouldn't.
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Re: OS X vs Windows
Our Total Cost of Ownership went down when we spent our money on the higher quality computers vs. security efforts (both manpower and software.)
Another reason why Mac's are not a target of virus writers, it is just more fun and easier to attack DOS/Windows then Unix/Linux.
Trust me, a Unix virus that cripples unix machines would have a major impact. Majority of your mission critical coputers are Unix or some other OS, NOT WINDOWS. Windows are big in WORKSTATIONS, not your big mission critical machines.
Microsoft is really not that big in mission critical shops! MS clustering software is second rate.
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Re: OS X vs Windows
BzzzzzT! Wrong!
Try a search for 'Opener' or Renepo (circa 2004)
It disables the OS X firewall, steals info, spreads to network shares and deletes data. Sounds like a virus/worm to me.
No one bothers to attack OS X because it will never be able to run a Warhol virus (too slow and not enough boxes).
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Re: OS X vs Windows
(What you described are worms. May not be important to you, but there are differences and requires different strategies to keep our installations secure.)
..................................................
Spyware Worm
Affects: Computers connected to a network running Windows 95/98/Me and Windows NT/2000/XP/2003 operating systems.
Description:
Spyware worm is a term used to describe malware that has the ability to self-replicate without a host program and send information from a computer to a third party without the user's permission or knowledge.
Replication:
Spyware worms spread using Windows networking APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), email, or by exploting vulnerabilities of the operating system or another application. They have identical spreading capabilities to Win32 worms but they also exhibit behaviour attributed to spyware.
Naming: Sophos Anti-Virus reports spyware worms with the prefix "W32/".
..................................................
Virus
Description:
A computer program that copies itself. Often viruses will disrupt computer systems or damage the data contained upon them. A virus requires a host program and will not infect a computer until it has been run. Some viruses spread across networks by making copies of themselves or may forward themselves via email. The term 'virus' is often used generically to refer to both viruses and worms.
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Virus hoax
Description:
A warning about a non-existent virus. Usually urge users to forward them to everyone they know.
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Re: OS X vs Windows
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Re: OS X vs Windows
There is a move towards to Mac's, mostly by experienced users of Windows that are getting fed up with amount of effort to keep the machines free from malware.
This surprised Apple (an they were happy about the mistake) because this means that there is growing market for the higher profit margin computers vs the lower profit margin MiniMac- that was intended for the entry level.
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Re: Huh?
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No Subject Given
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...
Cliff-notes:
Macs are for noobs who don't know how to use mice with more then 1 button.
No one writes viruses for Macs because no one uses macs.
Microsoft should open source their AV software, and give it away for free under some gnu-type licence.
Everyone should stop talking about Macs vs. Windows cause even though Windows has it's flaws they do get fixed eventually, and when a software developer decides to make a new game/program what OS platform do you think he has in mind to release on?
Now STFU, and get back on topic.
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I resent your accusations that only kids play video games. It's a well known fact that most of todays online gamers are between the ages of 18-25 so sit back down, and STFU with this games are for the kids crap.
I'm 22, and I have a job as the administrator of technology for a small accounting firm owned by a friend of mine. I use my computer for work just as much as the next "grown up" does, and my computer doesn't lock up. I also play games in my spare time, and I can say that without a shadow of a doubt that Programs, and Games are both tailored, and made specifically for Windows/PC machines not apple macintrashes. Macs are good for web surfing with Firefox, video editing, graphic editing, and being a very expensive paperweight. Now I don't know what version of windows you tried that turned you from both PC's, and women, but I'm assuming it was most likely Windows ME which no one considers an OS anyhow. More like a crappy expansion pack for windows 98. XP though semi-flawed in the security department is a huge improvement over 98, and 2000, and most of these "lockups" you speak of come from noobs like you who install weatherbug, bonzai buddy, and other spyware ridden programs on their computer before trying to do some actual important work. I highly doubt that you could do anything on a computer that I didn't know existed unless you've had more then 10+ years of computing experience, and a few bachelor degree's. Even then I'm more then sure I already knew how, and what you did, and could should you a better, faster, more optimized way of doing it.
As for your "I can plug in any peripheral in my mac, and it'll work right away" attitude that's total bullshit, and you know it. There are devices that you need to install drivers for on any OS, and news flash dipshit XP has that same feature. I can plug in a USB: flash drive, external hard drive/CD/DVD-rom/CD/DVD-rw/Some Printers/Cameras/Scanners/etc., and they'll work right out of the box as well.
Look I could go on about how wrong, and douche-like you are, but I have more important things to do so go back to playing your crappy jigsaw puzzle that comes with OS XXX, and thinking of a rebuttal that doesn't make you sound like a totally unintelligent script kiddie.
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MrMcLargeHuge
Sounds to me like you're compansating for something...
(^_^)
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Re: MrMcLargeHuge
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Re: MrMcLargeHuge
As a matter of fact I was with your mother last night. You know that thing she does that your father likes so much? Well she learned it on me.
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Re: MrMcLargeHuge
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Re: MrMcLargeHuge
P.S.- what Piroko said about me trolling you is 100% true
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