Linked by Thom Holwerda on Fri 27th Apr 2007 18:23 UTC, submitted by dylansmrjones
Windows Despite all the anti-malware roadblocks built into Windows Vista, a senior Microsoft official is lowering the security expectations, warning that viruses, password-stealing Trojans and rootkits will continue to thrive as malware authors adapt to the new operating system. "There is no guarantee that malware can't hijack the elevation process or compromise an elevated application," Russinovich said after providing a blow-by-blow description of how UAC works in tandem with Internet Explorer (with Protected Mode) to limit the damage from malicious files. Even in a standard user world, he stressed that malware can still read all the user's data; can still hide with user-mode rootkits; and can still control which applications (anti-virus scanners) the user can access.
Permalink for comment 234704
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
RE[2]: Idiots
by kaiwai on Sat 28th Apr 2007 00:58 UTC in reply to "RE: Idiots"
kaiwai
Member since:
2005-07-06

I have to agree with you. MS needs to break backwards compatibility. I mean what IS there anyway in terms of software that one needs to run? Ok Photoshop....if MS says they are bringing out a new OS which will be brand new all new with no backwards compatibility...do you not think they could convince Adobe to make a version of Photoshop to work with that new OS? It aint rocket science. It is MS's reluctance to break backwards compatibility. THey could have done it with Vista and it would have been MUCH better off for it but they dropped the ball as usual...


Well, the thing is, they have the marketing muscle and in alot better position than Apple when they bought out MacOS X. The fact that these companies don't have Linux versions of their applications makes the situation even easier.

Strip this backwards compatibility, then simply drag these companies through the mud who refuse to provide free updates and make their next versions based around these superior secure API changes - basically make the market and consumers know that these companies are refusing to update because they put their sort term profits ahead of doing things to benefit their end users.

Microsoft will come off as the concerned company who has moved mountains to make their system secure, and basically those companies who software refuses to run are simply money hungry organisations who don't have the interests of the end user at heart.

As for corporate's, they'll eventually move, even if it is 6months later than what they do today; but ultimately if Microsoft provides all the tools necessary, offer free upgrades and documentation for companies to port their internally written applications and provide free upgrades for those third parties who refuse to maintain their software.

Hence the reason I don't sit in the same pool as those who think that Windows is so broken that the whole thing needs to be thrown out and started again; Windows technologically has a better footing than most operating systems, what holds it back is the layers of crap they've kept holding onto for the sake of compatibility.

Years and years ago, they might have had a valid reason, but now they have a valid reason to get rid of it - for security reasons.

Reply Parent Score: 2