Microsoft hits back over Windows security claims

 

Software firm reacts angrily to accusations.

Microsoft has returned fire at Google after a report yesterday claimed that the search giant is looking to move away from Windows operating systems because of security concerns.

Brandon LeBlanc, a Windows communications manager at Microsoft, said in a blog post that the accusations about poor Windows security are ironic at best.

He cobbled together a number of reports that suggest the contrary, including one from Mashable which claimed that Yale University has scaled back on moves to use Gmail, and another claiming that Macs are under attack from high risk malware.

LeBlanc said that the article in The Financial Times yesterday, which declared that Windows is "known for being more vulnerable to attacks by hackers and more susceptible to computer viruses than other operating systems", was wrong, insisting that "the facts don't support the assertion".

Google may be considering a move away from Microsoft, but other companies are more confident in its systems, according to LeBlanc.

"When it comes to security, even hackers admit we're doing a better job making our products more secure than anyone else," he wrote.

"And it's not just the hackers; third-party influentials and industry leaders like Cisco tell us regularly that our focus and investment continues to surpass others'.

Copyright ©v3.co.uk


Microsoft hits back over Windows security claims
"Making statements like "Windows is known to more vulnerable to attacks..." is pretty much like saying "Holdens are known to be more vulnerable to rust". Sure it might have been the case back like ..."
By ejobrien
 
 
 
Comments: 8
rodzilla
Jun 3, 2010 7:48 AM
"ironic at best" ?

How about "IDIOTIC at best" ?

"Maximum Insecurity" = "Google is NOT my friend!"
Res
Jun 3, 2010 7:57 AM
"Brandon LeBlanc, a Windows communications manager at Microsoft, said in a blog post that the accusations about poor Windows security are ironic at best."

Let me see, >95% of spam is a result of spam bots, spam bots are comprised of >95% compromised windows machines.

Sure seems live MASSIVE security failures to me, they might be getting better, but their track record is appalling, and they still get it wrong, it's why we also don't permit use of microsoft products,

long live Open Source!
Res
Jun 3, 2010 8:08 AM
And more typical evidence can be seen here, courtesy of @teamcymru twitter this morning...

http://bit.ly/a7Xprl

And everyone goes after the criminals, but, in reality, who here is really the ultimate bad guy? the company that releases sloppy insecure code, should also be held accountable, if they were, you bet your bottom dollar they WOULD start hiring competent coders.
johnpro2
Jun 3, 2010 10:34 AM
Windows needs to become 100% lockable before security will take a genuine step towards keeping the bad guys out of critical systems.
For top security online stuff I only use a Linux light system run directly from a non writable DVD ...load time is only few minutes with all required apps also secured on the same DVD. Way to go.
Jp
Tinrib
Jun 3, 2010 4:58 PM
I don't know.. it's been said before but I would rather trust my data to a Microsoft system operated by a security conscious user or admin than a linux system run by a beginner. Only last night some noobie from Europe was trying a brute force attack on my SSH server. A counter scan revealed this clown had 20 services running and not all of them current....
Fungyo
Jun 4, 2010 3:22 AM
@Tinrib
What you say is bazaar. Who would trust a newbie on any system?
Whenever I look at OS security stats, I see Windows has unpatched security vulnerabilities, where Linux does not.
I know where I'll continue to keep my data and it's not on Windows OS's.
packet
Jun 7, 2010 8:19 AM
religious dogma
ejobrien
Jun 7, 2010 1:40 PM
Making statements like "Windows is known to more vulnerable to attacks..." is pretty much like saying "Holdens are known to be more vulnerable to rust". Sure it might have been the case back like 50 years ago (in the case of Holdens at least) but it really isn't the case anymore.

It's just spreading heresay. Unless you can cite evidence, from contemporary studies, comments like these are entirely unhelpful.
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