Linked by Thom Holwerda on Tue 15th Aug 2006 18:12 UTC
OpenOffice.org has hit back at claims that the alternative office applications suite is riddled with security holes. Researchers at the French Ministry of Defense say that OpenOffice is subject to security weaknesses that make it at least as susceptible to computer viruses as the commercial, more widely used, Microsoft Office.
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RE: A problem of market share too
by ma_d on Tue 15th Aug 2006 21:49
in reply to "A problem of market share too"
Member since:2005-06-29
RE[2]: A problem of market share too
by flanque on Tue 15th Aug 2006 21:53
in reply to "RE: A problem of market share too"
Member since:2005-12-15
From an engineering point of view I'd concede that they should be investigating the claims in depth. They seem to be at least opening communication lines up with the authors.
However, I really don't think that OO.o is going to rapidly become hugely popular, even over the next two years.
Also keep in mind the product will evolve and wont be tomorrow what it is today.
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Member since:
2005-12-15
If we're talking about unknowing macro execution because the OO.o product doesn't prompt more exhaustively for confirmation, then that's a problem and needs to be addressed.
Aside from that, we have to considor the market share of these products. It's quite possible that the OO.o suite has numerous design issues that open up gaping security holes, but until the share of the market exists to warrant concern about mass "infection" it really isn't that big of an impact, at this stage.
I have to agree with the comment above though. It'd be my experience that the majority of infections and hacks on computers is more due to ignorance of users who find it acceptable to just click on whatever they please without actually being smart about it.
The "i didn't know" time has well and truely passed. There's no excuse for opening every damn attachment or script. It's been made well and truely obvious it's a huge risk.
I think it's time people started to be smart about computing and drop the ignorant, "shucks i'm just hopeless with computers" line.