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The default account that is set up for you in Windows is an admin account. So any idiot who logs into their XP machine is usually running on the admin account. Any of the software they install has the ability to inbed itself as a service or edit the registry so it secretly starts up when you log on. While linux discourages this GREATLY. The first thing most install scripts have you do is make an account that is a normal user, so that you never log in with the root account. If you need to be the admin, you simply su over, and then exit. Your the admin for the little duration that you need it. Windows XP doesn't go far at all in informing you of the security risks at all. Although even if you aren't an admin, Windows will allow you to edit the majority of the config files and I believe the registry (not 100% on this, I know you have access to the current_user part of it) as a normal user. A hackers paradise.
Posted by: johnnyu   Posted on: 07/23/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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And toasting Microsofts reputation. 50 billion can't stop the problems.  DonnieBoy | 07/19/04
Old News  RobertoSalazar | 07/19/04
Standard / BORING News on MS Insecurity  michael-t | 07/19/04
But it is getting attentilon, FireFox downloads are at an all time high.  DonnieBoy | 07/19/04
It shouldn't take an  michael-t | 07/19/04
Wintel = ignorant masses.  Outside T. Box | 07/20/04
Wintel = ignorant masses  charlesgoff | 07/20/04
A little sensitive aren't we???  DonnieBoy | 07/20/04
So Where's the News ???  Plain Logic | 07/19/04
Agree  CobraA1 | 07/20/04
Time to start using..  szoszon | 07/19/04
What does this have to do with MSFT?  PlatformAgnostic | 07/19/04
Everything!  Seething Ganglia | 07/19/04
You're out of date  wolf_z | 07/20/04
Wrong  Fritz001 | 07/20/04
NTFS allows setting permissions  CobraA1 | 07/20/04
Except XP and W2K can be set up that way  voska | 07/20/04
Sigh  johnnyu | 07/23/04
Do some research.. Windows is flawed by Design(TM)  Xunil_Sierutuf | 07/20/04
Form and Function  han810p@... | 07/20/04
If what you say is true,  Linux User 147560 | 07/20/04
What a bunch of FUD!  Outside T. Box | 07/20/04
Source of Information  han810p@... | 07/20/04
Not sure how Microsoft's stock is effected  voska | 07/20/04
Mike Nash MS security guru shows he cares  Squawkbox | 07/19/04
"M$hills to Base, M$hills to Base... requesting orders!"  Xunil_Sierutuf | 07/19/04
Linux Fanatics being recalled to nerd academy  PmAc_z | 07/20/04
Thanks for the prompt reporting... NOT!  BitTwiddler | 07/20/04
Does anyone know what the new "Backdoor.Trojan" is ?  BitTwiddler | 07/20/04
W32.something....  Xunil_Sierutuf | 07/20/04
Can you post more info.?  computer_man | 07/20/04
Does anyone know what the new "Backdoor.Trojan" is ?  rperry@... | 07/20/04
So many of them that I've lost count. . .  boomslang_z | 07/20/04
The Issue is not Microsoft  GEM_z | 07/20/04
Good Point  han810p@... | 07/20/04

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