MetaFilter posts tagged with Microsoft and security

The dry, technical language of Microsoft's October update did not indicate anything particularly untoward.

The Whelk — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:40:29 -0800

Its reach is impossible to measure precisely, but more than 3 million vulnerable machines may ultimately have been infected. : The inside story on the Conficker Worm at New Scientist.

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

up in the old hotel — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 16:49:40 -0800

The National Security Agency is building a data center in San Antonio that’s the size of the Alamodome. Microsoft has opened an 11-acre data center a few miles away. Coincidence? Not according to author James Bamford, who probably knows more about the NSA than any outsider. Bamford's new book reports that the biggest U.S. spy agency wanted assurances that Microsoft would be in San Antonio before it moved ahead with the Texas Cryptology Center. Bamford notes that under current law, the NSA could legally tap into Microsoft’s data without a court order. Whatever you do, don't take pictures of it the spy building unless you want to be taken in for questioning.

"A Cost Analysis of Windows Vista Content Protection"

Blazecock Pileon — Sat, 23 Dec 2006 22:03:14 -0800

"[C]omputer design is being dictated not by electronic design rules, physical layout requirements, and thermal issues, but by the wishes of the content industry." By deliberately breaking audio and video functionality, opening up new avenues for debilitating malware, and reversing performance gains in desktop PCs and third-party components, Peter Gutmann argues "the Vista Content Protection specification could very well constitute the longest suicide note in history."

Trusted Computing

bingo — Sat, 22 May 2004 23:08:36 -0800

Trusted Computing. Microsoft and friends are proposing some major alterations to the way that computers work, the ostensible goal being to increase security. But others say that the real goals are much more insidious.

Microsoft update disables user:password in URLs

johnnydark — Wed, 04 Feb 2004 12:55:16 -0800

With its latest security update Microsoft has disabled the ability to pass username:password pairs in URLs. If you usually use this format for connecting to your site via either FTP or HTTP, it will no longer work after you install this update.

Microsoft = Megatarget.

insomnia_lj — Sat, 25 Jan 2003 11:42:55 -0800

Microsoft = Megatarget. A new worm is rapidly spreading across the Internet, functioning like a massive DDOS attack and crippling ISPs in South Korea. It's host? Microsoft SQL server. (Get yor fix on, then reboot!) What impact will it have over here, I wonder...

judith — Fri, 11 Oct 2002 15:02:50 -0800

While MS-bashing is often too easy, this statement about recent security holes seemed especially astounding: "Outlook Express ships with every Windows system, or rather as part of IE, so it's on every system. But unless it is configured to receive mail, you are not at risk," said Scott Culp, manager for Microsoft security response. Interesting. Unless it is configured to receive mail, like, you know, an email program.

Hackworth — Mon, 01 Jul 2002 19:05:15 -0800

Did you install it yet? You may want to think twice. That new software update for Windows Media Player isn't just a security update, if you read the End User License Agreement carefully, it states:

"In order to protect the integrity of content and software protected by digital rights management 'Secure Content', Microsoft may provide security related updates to the OS Components that will be automatically downloaded onto your computer."

Does anyone know anything more about this? How about recommendations for a suitable replacement for WMP?

sixtwenty3dc — Fri, 22 Mar 2002 15:43:32 -0800

Microsoft Windows + NSA = loopholes in security: "A careless mistake by Microsoft programmers has revealed that special access codes prepared by the US National Security Agency have been secretly built into [almost all versions of] Windows." an interesting article that really shouldnt be surprising, and all the more reason to buy a mac.

topolino — Thu, 17 Jan 2002 04:27:30 -0800

Microsoft to make products more "trustworthy." A lot of buzz words floating around here, like "trustworthy" and "security." Does this mark a true sea change in Microsoft strategy, or is it just a PR stunt, too little, too late? One thing I'll say, though - I never thought I'd hear this coming from Bill: "Users should be in control of how their data is used... It should be easy for users to specify appropriate use of their information, including controlling the use of e-mail they send." (from the AP report)

headlemur — Sat, 22 Dec 2001 12:40:41 -0800

FBI warns Microsoft XP users "The FBI is urging computer users to unplug and don't play when it comes to addressing serious security flaws found in Microsoft's new Windows XP program." "Microsoft admitted this week that there are several serious glitches in the new software. " Really?

crankydoodle — Fri, 14 Dec 2001 14:45:28 -0800

"MS releases mother of all IE security patches" Per the article: Microsoft has released a cumulative patch for Internet Explorer which the firm says is a "critical" security precaution against crackers which should be applied "immediately". Time to update/upgrade boys and girls. :)

DragonBoy — Tue, 02 Oct 2001 07:50:38 -0800

The Twenty Most Critical Internet Security Vulnerabilities
This is a list of Internet security tips that SAMS and the FBI updated yesterday. The list is really aimed at IT professionals and does not offer much advice to the home user. My advise for any home user who is worried about viruses and security: 1. Don't use Windows OS, any Windows OS (try Linux or Mac) 2. Remove Outlook from your computer. 3. Don't open e-mail attachments you did not ask for.

tatochip — Tue, 25 Sep 2001 08:24:43 -0800

Gartner's opinion proliferates into the mainstream Internet news sources. any further thoughts?

vowe — Fri, 21 Sep 2001 12:16:37 -0800

Gartner Group recommends that IIS users look elsewhere for a better web server.

nico — Tue, 18 Sep 2001 09:01:35 -0800

New worm doing the rounds. Great.

machaus — Thu, 19 Jul 2001 15:57:25 -0800

Seeing weird things in your website logs today? This will explain it... Running IIS and haven't patched it in over a month? Go here. 13,000 servers have already been affected.

ed — Tue, 17 Jul 2001 12:04:28 -0800

Win XP's Product Activation as a breeze to hack. Provided that RC1 still ships as is and you keep your RAM locked at a fixed number of sticks, it's simply a matter of keeping a backup of a DBL file. For all the ballyhoo, it's amazing that something this obvious slipped under the cracks. With WPA this sloppy, is this the only half-hearted facet of Windows XP?

mecawilson — Fri, 04 May 2001 12:12:16 -0800

Security Threat! But only if your server's running... No crap. I love the Note on Microsoft's security bulletin for it's recent IIS 5.0 security flaw. Did anyone need to be told that?

silusGROK — Tue, 03 Apr 2001 09:22:27 -0800

MSIE leaves the door wide open on your Windows OS... I can't believe that the myriad "security holes" are coincidental... maybe we should call them back doors. I mean, really... who do they think they're kidding? We all know who really wants surreptitious access to our systems. [via Glish]

Steven Den Beste — Fri, 09 Mar 2001 10:20:11 -0800

One million credit card numbers stolen! News at 11! The FBI has gone public with a rather dry account of a huge organized attack on ecommerce sites, exploiting security flaws in NT which Microsoft fixed and offered patches for nearly two years ago.

mecawilson — Mon, 22 Jan 2001 09:35:48 -0800

Linux no longer foolproof? And a smile descened upon Redmond...

solistrato — Mon, 06 Nov 2000 11:45:26 -0800

Do as we say, not as we do.

cCranium — Wed, 19 Jul 2000 15:18:23 -0800

Yet another outlook vulnerability. This one's significantly nastier than the previous ones, because it can attack and run programs on your computer as you download the email from your server
More >>

PaperCut — Sat, 20 May 2000 18:21:54 -0800

New Microsoft Bug Found This one's pretty serious. Because it affects the whole world.