The marvellous, mechanical, mouse organ
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Microsoft patches shortcut flaw
DEVELOPER OF INSECURE SOFTWARE Microsoft has finally managed to issue a patch for a security vulnerability that affects almost all versions of its Windows operating systems.
The flaw was discovered a fortnight ago with the Vole putting up a 'work in progress' page saying it knew of the problem and was working on a fix. In the meantime, the vulnerability was used as the basis for the Stuxnet Trojan and other malware.
This all stems from the fact that just about every version of Windows released in the past decade, including server editions, handles shortcuts incorrectly. The flaw allows hackers to remotely execute code on the machine.
Microsoft's initial answer was to turn off shortcuts completely, a merely cosmetic approach that didn't solve the underlying problem. In the meantime, insecurity vendor Sophos released a free tool to help users, as it seemed Microsoft had given up on releasing a patch.
Finally the Vole realised that it couldn't just wish the problem away and issued a proper patch. It's labelled as critical for all operating systems and will be delivered to desktops everywhere when Windows Update runs. Microsoft is offering a downloadable version of the patch for anyone who is extremely worried.
The flaw is particularly embarrassing for Microsoft as it affects both Windows Vista and Windows 7, operating systems that were supposedly redesigned to avoid flaws that affected the firm's older code. Clearly this goes to show that Vista and Windows 7 are little more than paint jobs over the rust on Windows XP. µ
Tags: Microsoft
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.05/365=1.369863014e-4 using a casio calculator.
xp's calculator (calc.exe) gives 0.0001369863013698630136986301369863, which rounds to .0001369863014.
no idea about bank interest, but the calculators agree with each other...
Same old Shit with a spray paint job.
This has been windows since 95.
Check the calculator, it still gives the wrong result for daily interest on any version of windows you can find.
10,000 * 5% /365
and if you can find that sort of interest at the bank i would like to have their address.
Troll,Troll,Troll your bloat,
Gentility down my screen,
Take a note,
I read your bloat,
Your life is but a dream !
Good Article I agree with Bigger Lud all the way.
Yes, no one is perfect and there are problems with all OS's, but Microsoft blazed the trail with Windows flaws over the years. You could say the whole Antivirus and Anti-Spyware market owes Microsoft a huge thanks, because in no other OS is it considered a rule to always have good AV installed, with good reason.
And the vast majority of Internet browser issues, viruses and malware stem from Internet Explorer. I have yet to see Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Opera, etc compromised and requiring a system cleaning over the years on the thousands of machines I've worked on. I do believe most of the issues stem from the fact that Microsoft doesn't put enough importance to supporting industry standards rather than pushing forward with their own take on something which skews and fragments a technology. And also they always seem to release their software in rougher shape than most companies with various major problems and decide to fix them after the release date. Every OS and and Office they release is so buggy initially that you can feel the difference when it matures and requires a huge number of patches. This is more so evident than releases of Linux or OSX that I've used. It's been a rule since Windows 3.1 to Vista. They have done much better with W7 after the debacle Vista was, but it's still a relatively young OS so who knows how we'll think of W7 in 3 years.
We all understand that the particular flaw is serious, and that it needs to be patched; however the author of this article apparently is unable to set aside their personal opinions in what should have been a simple NEWS story,
This behavior is incredibly unprofessional on the part of both the author and the editors.
There are times that each one of us has needed assistance with a problem that we did not understand or just did not just did not process well. Instead of providing appropriate recognition to those who assisted the Microsoft developers, the author chose to the the space, and our time to give us an insulting rant.
Give us useful information in a respectful, polite, and civil manner.
I have tried Windows 7 a few times now.
It's crap.
XP rules!
If M$ stops supporting XP I will be moving to Ubuntu permanently.
Vista and W7 have too many restrictions, like design your own Theme!!
How stupid is that?
Why can't people design their own theme?
Says the pot who uses "M$" to refer to Microsoft.
Sir, after that pathetic misguided post you have no right to call anyone a writer of bad articles.
"All developers CAN write insecure software."
While that part MAY be true, the part about ignoring the vulnerability, trying to sweep it under the carpet and leaving users in danger is decidedly a Microsoft trait.
May not be as many as appears. First four posts strike me as by one author, and three are quite similar:
"Every system has its flaws."
"All developers write insecure software."
"By 2005 everyone discovered that everything has security holes,"
Every M$ troll thinks this admission is news and excuses all. They don't seem able to get past the first chapter of the M$ Official Troll Handbook, Enhanced and Revised, and of course M$ believes in quantity rather than quality.
@ Calum: "As soon as you can write code as complex as an operating system flawlessly, then you have the right to judge." -- First, you don't dispense rights, sonny. What arrogance. 2nd, if *you* don't meet the "flawlessly" criterion, then your opinion as to W7 merits is *also* worthless. 3rd, writing an OS is not as difficult as you think: if it were, M$ couldn't do it!
(Another literary critic showed up while I was writing this.)
What a disgusting read. I hope the writer of this article is ashamed of himself. Your complete lack of any journalism skills and proper Morales or ethics is absolutely appalling.
I loved the quips about how micky mouse hasn't done anything truly innovative for more than a decade. Our business is still on xp. Most of our applications run in browsers and our requirements for business apps state they can not be locked down to any one OS.
can you say Biased?
This is a silly story from kids who have not bothered to realize that it’s not 1999 anymore. In ’95 the sheep stood in line to buy Win95 by year 2000 the sheep stood in line to talk about how bad security was in Windows. I see no difference between these sheep, that are all just following what they thing is the cool “it” crowd.
By 2005 everyone discovered that everything has security holes, including Apple, Adobe, Winamp, a massive about of Firefox holes, Linux, iPhones and other smart phones, home networks and credit card processing. Making a big deal of one of the Windows flaws as if it was the only discovered security problem in 2 years is just stupid.
Why don’t you grow up! Why don’t you discuss this issue by describing what has happened and out to protect yourself until the patch is released?
Your article provided very little useful information but only disparaging remarks without justification. Where are you coming from?
Your article was very biased. All developers write insecure software. Just as you write horrible articles. Maybe you should change your signature to: "Writer of bad stories"
I agree that thus is particularly embarrassing for Microsoft and also probably explains why my brand new top of the line laptop got a virus just a few days after purchase. However you should give creadit where it is due, windows seven is quite the improvement on both XP and vista with features that make it a much better OS. Every system has its flaws. As soon as you can write code as complex as an operating system flawlessly, then you have the right to judge.