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Security was not designed into many products
The Windows OS integration with MS apps like Outlook that allow VB scripts and executables to run with elevated system privilege exacerbates the clueless user problem. You are correct to say that Linux can be attacked through careless or foolish actions but the lack of OS integration in Linux apps does not allow for many of the problems we see in Windows. A script launched by a "regular" user should never be allowed to run with elevated privileges. This is why Billy G and Co are working on Longhorn (which will be a major change in the MS OS paradigm) to fix their mistake. Of course, an end user who has up to date AV, uses a firewall and has good practices can have a very fine computing experience with any desktop -- be it MS Windows, Apple OSX or Linux with GNOME or KDE. But most MS users I see on the home front and in many small businesses run as root, or admin, and do not want to use the security tools that exist even within Win98, although 2000 or XP has better tools. It is easy to create a user account, password it etc but I bet most people you know never do that at home -- they are probably not aware that you can or why it might be a good idea. Hence, they run as super user and all worms can run fully privileged while the poor sucker wonders what is killing his/her PC.
Posted by: Sunny Jalolly   Posted on: 01/27/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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MS should apply antivirus thru patches  dg mh | 01/27/04
Best plan ever  Letophoro | 01/27/04
will m$ indemnify their customers?  stephen732@... | 01/27/04
Sarcasm missed  Letophoro | 01/27/04
no sarcasm intended  stephen732@... | 01/27/04
virus should be named "m$doom"  stephen732@... | 01/27/04
Thoughts  gmyx | 01/27/04
Mostly a user problem not an OS problem  scidhuv00 | 01/27/04
Not quite  zen_dogen | 01/27/04
Actually..  d_jedi | 01/27/04
Re: Mostly a user problem not an OS problem  issthatso | 01/27/04
Security was not designed into many products  Sunny Jalolly | 01/27/04
Quick Fix  nite_w0lf | 01/27/04
or perhaps...  stephen732@... | 01/27/04
Fact, some users are as dumb as a rock.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 01/27/04
You're right..look at how many run Windows  SloooeShflu | 01/27/04
So, what you are suggesting is...  vferrara | 01/27/04
Windows Users are dumb  voska | 01/27/04
Rocket science  Yagotta B. Kidding | 01/27/04
Can't help but wonder....  vferrara | 01/27/04
Only people who know how drive can drive  voska | 01/27/04
Hey voska!!  nite_w0lf | 01/27/04
Intelligence???  libertyaikido | 01/28/04
Good point  bhanes@... | 02/03/04
We'll let you tell that to...  BitTwiddler | 01/27/04
I do, CONSTANTLY!  No_Ax_to_Grind | 01/27/04
Message has been deleted.  SloooeShflu | 01/27/04
They do know better  voska | 01/27/04
No internet no e-mail  scidhuv00 | 01/28/04
re: No internet no e-mail  Wolfie2K3 | 01/28/04
Correct, axe...  mvaar | 01/27/04
To quote Einstein (of E=MC^2 fame)  betelgeuse68 | 01/27/04
On Spam  voska | 01/27/04
Good idea! I'd take it a step further...  Yen_z | 01/27/04
Why not?  Yagotta B. Kidding | 01/27/04
Actually it's more like saying  voska | 01/27/04
Food poisoning  Yagotta B. Kidding | 01/27/04
That's true.  Immanuel Tranz-Mischen | 01/27/04
tens of thousands of computers remain infected  Tammee | 01/27/04
psst...  stephen732@... | 01/27/04
this is funny you should read  mattfrand | 01/27/04
Wrong, Tammee  Yen_z | 01/27/04
Exactly but...  Tammee | 01/28/04
Naturally ... Microsoft will claim it's not their fault  George Jay | 01/27/04
re  XunilLinux | 01/27/04
XunilLinux!!  nite_w0lf | 01/27/04
Windows Does that  voska | 01/27/04
I didnt say This Might Be  nite_w0lf | 01/27/04
why?  stephen732@... | 01/27/04
Reply  mattfrand | 01/27/04
Response ...  George Jay | 01/28/04
Blame Game  Aknot | 01/28/04
illogical and irrelevant  Oakman7111 | 02/01/04
2000/05/28:Microsoft Applications Security  David Mohring | 01/27/04
Lets remove the delete key then(nt)  voska | 01/27/04
Why Isn't Microsoft responsible  mattfrand | 01/27/04
Hmmmm  quietLee | 01/28/04
Honestly  mattfrand | 01/27/04
MS should be liable for gross negligance due to sheer number of virii ...  Plain Logic | 01/27/04
Here's a clue  Oakman7111 | 02/01/04
The spread of viral code directly damaging SCO.  xbee | 01/27/04
viral code damage SCO???  thomasmac | 01/30/04
It's an ATTACHED EXECUTABLE  John Carroll ZDNet Moderator | 01/28/04
Attached executable  dnmott@... | 01/28/04
Don't TEND...  John Carroll ZDNet Moderator | 01/28/04
"Average/normal" Windows users are incompetant?  MarcB_z | 01/28/04
Most of them can spell incompetant  Oakman7111 | 02/01/04
So, basically...  Yen_z | 01/28/04
Wrong villain....  quietLee | 01/28/04
(NT) Lindows changed from 'everyone is root' some time ago :o)  Jack-Booted EULA | 01/28/04
There are no costs associated with this outbreak. microsoft say so.  jellyclock | 01/28/04
Info  SCJames | 01/28/04
Ultimate Linux religious FUDster_prankster  quietLee | 01/28/04
You got that right  Oakman7111 | 02/01/04
mydoom and mac  foxii2000 | 01/28/04
One good thing about MyDoom ---  rbrucecarter | 01/28/04
free antivirus  empty_z | 01/30/04

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