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Thursday, November 17, 2005

Spying on Spyware

Continued from page 2

By Lamont Wood
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But there is also hope. For instance, viruses based on Microsoft Word macro files and Visual Basic scripts are essentially extinct, Schmugar adds.

Enderle, however, believes that the situation is already unmanageable. "With the Internet a virus can spread in hours, and it takes 24 hours to make a patch," says Enderle. "What we need is a new architecture."

Indeed, Enderle says he is looking forward to the release of Vista, the next upgrade of Microsoft Windows, expected around August 2006. According to him, it eliminates the most commonly exploited vulnerabilities of Windows.

Until then, the only sure remedy for an infected PC is to erase the hard drive and reload it with its original, pristine operating system and software. "Probably, within the next year, every family in the country will have to do that at least once," Enderle says.
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Comments

  • Vista wont solve the problem
    Guest (Stephen Keese) on 11/18/2005 at 12:23 PM
    Posts:
    1
    The problem with Vista is the huge number of PCs that will not be upgraded, just like all the W2k and W98 systems out there still whose owners are clueless about what their machines are doing.  Even if Vista is as good as Enderle thinks and Microsoft promises, malware exploits will get worse before the installed base upgrades fully.  So far, Mac OS X is a still safer choice for companies and individuals and a better choice for all internet users.
    Rate this comment: 12345
    • Use Linux
      Guest (RB) on 12/01/2005 at 12:05 PM
      Posts:
      1
      ... and be safe.
      Rate this comment: 12345
    • Use Linux
      Guest (RB) on 12/01/2005 at 12:05 PM
      Posts:
      1
      ... and be safe.
      Rate this comment: 12345
  • Vista wont solve the problem
    Guest (Stephen Keese) on 11/18/2005 at 12:23 PM
    Posts:
    1
    The problem with Vista is the huge number of PCs that will not be upgraded, just like all the W2k and W98 systems out there still whose owners are clueless about what their machines are doing.  Even if Vista is as good as Enderle thinks and Microsoft promises, malware exploits will get worse before the installed base upgrades fully.  So far, Mac OS X is a still safer choice for companies and individuals and a better choice for all internet users.
    Rate this comment: 12345
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