| After another security hole recently
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| | operate up-to-date anti-virus
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| surfaced in Microsoft's Windows operating
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| | protection.)
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| system, the software giant released a
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| | Whenever Microsoft publishes a security
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| patch this past Friday to plug the
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| | update, especially for a highly
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| possibly devastating "back door" which
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| | publicized and obviously widespread
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| allows hackers to potentially seize
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| | security breach, thousands of people will
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| control of any pc running Windows.
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| | not immediately download the update.
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| The latest threat, "Download.Ject,"
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| | In fact, tens-of-thousands of users will
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| infiltrates computers after users surfing
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| | not download these security updates for
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| with Microsoft's "Internet Explorer" web
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| | days, weeks, even months (if ever).
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| browser visit websites infected with the
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| | So let me ask what seems like a very
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| virus.
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| | elementary question: By publishing
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| This newest security patch covers Windows
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| | security updates that point out very
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| XP, 2000, and Windows Server 2003.
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| | obvious flaws in their system, doesn't
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| Several factors make this latest
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| | Microsoft also point the way to exactly
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| development more disturbing than past
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| | where the holes exist?
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| discoveries of security problems with
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| | Let me put it another way.
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| Internet Explorer, currently the most
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| | Doesn't this rate the same as discovering
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| dominant web browser on the market.
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| | that the local bank vault won't lock and
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| First, it demonstrates very clearly that
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| | then announcing the details on the front
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| criminals discovered they can use the
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| | page of the paper along with the dates
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| power of viruses to very profitably steal
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| | and times no bank guard will be on duty?
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| important bank, personal, and credit data
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| | After all, if tens-of-thousands of users
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| from people on a large scale.
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| | won't immediately get the Microsoft
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| Second, it took Microsoft what many would
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| | Security Patch, don't those patches show
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| consider a very long time to come up with
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| | hackers exactly which holes get plugged
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| a patch for this problem.
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| | (and which, logically, must already be
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| Before a fix appeared, Microsoft told
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| | open without the patch)?
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| everyone who uses Internet Explorer to
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| | It doesn't take a hacker with more than a
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| stick their finger in the dyke by putting
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| | basic set of skills to recognize where
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| their web browser security settings on
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| | and what holes got fixed and then
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| high, rendering it impossible to view or
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| | reverse-engineer how they can get into
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| use features on many websites and
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| | computers that don't get updated.
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| web-based services.
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| | Now, do I have a concrete, 100%
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| Third, expect this to happen again as new
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| | bullet-proof answer to this problem?
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| holes open in the future when Microsoft
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| | Unfortunately, I don't have more than a
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| makes Windows more complicated, adds
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| | common- sense answer...
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| layers of code, and generally makes the
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| | At this point, your best defense rates
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| operating system more complex.
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| | staying current on the latest threats and
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| This may sound like business as usual,
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| | how to defend against them.
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| however, I think this story actually
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| | Keep your anti-virus software current,
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| points to a much deeper problem, one for
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| | your firewall up, and your Windows
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| which I'm not sure a simple solution
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| | software updated with the latest security
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| exists.
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| | patches.
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| Though free and reasonably reliable, many
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| | Though not a perfect solution, at least
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| people do not automatically update their
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| | you'll have a fighting chance to prevent,
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| Windows operating system through the
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| | or at least minimize, any possible
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| update service on Microsoft's website. (I
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| | threats.
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| won't even get into how many people don't
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|
