Microsoft Windows Under Attack

I know most of you run Windows, so listen up.
Microsoft is under attack from China and the Middle East

Google Dumps Microsoft Windows Company-Wide -- Blames Windows For China Hacking Attack

Well, Google has taken the next step in its world domination plan, banning Microsoft Windows from internal use. Employees will be given the choice between Apple's Mac OS and Linux. Adding insult to injury, Google is also publicly citing Windows security problems for the decision and blaming Windows vulnerabilities for the China hacking incident. So that's 20,000+ Windows licenses that won't be sold and renewed at Google in future years. Given that Google is in the process of introducing a competitive platform and operating system (Android/Chrome), this move isn't surprising. The important question for Microsoft is whether other companies will follow suit. David Gelles and Richard Waters, FT: Google is phasing out the internal use of Microsoft’s ubiquitous Windows operating system because of security concerns, according to several Google employees.

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It gets worse.....

Major Computer Attack Coming?

The Department of Homeland Security released a statement Wednesday advising Windows PC owners across the nation to update their computers or face a potential attack from hackers. > > "The Department of Homeland Security is recommending that Windows Operating Systems users apply Microsoft security patch MS06-040 as quickly as possible," the statement read. "This security patch is designed to protect against a vulnerability that, if exploited, could enable an attacker to remotely take control of an affected system." > > Mike Murray, director of vulnerability research at the security firm nCircle, said the fact that DHS made this urgent plea is evidence that the threat is real. > > "They realize that of all the vulnerabilities that have come out in the last year or two, this is definitely the most severe and the most likely to be attacked," he said.

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Chinese attacks on Google caused by Microsoft IE bug!

The company has determined that Internet Explorer was one of the vectors used in targeted and sophisticated attacks targeted against Google and other corporate networks," a Microsoft spokesperson told Ars Technica. "Microsoft continues to work with Google, other industry partners and authorities to actively investigate this issue. To date, Microsoft has not seen widespread customer impact, rather only targeted and limited attacks exploiting IE6."

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Now for the real clincher here. Microsoft has sold all Windows users right down the river!

"I can't believe that Microsoft gave their source code to the Chinese in a pathetic attempt to get them to buy more MS Office licenses. Boy-were we sold down the river!"

In the euphemistically worded press release Microsoft and China Announce Government Security Program Agreement,
we learn that China joins over 30 other countries as recipients of access to Windows operating system source code.

I bet all that yummy, ecumenical, international cooperation gave someone at the BSA warm and fuzzy feelings. Either that or Ballmer told them to keep quiet.

Hold on. That announcement was in 2003.

Fast forward to 2011. Searching on Google for "Chinese attacks on US on US" yields 57 million hits. After the RSA breach, China is linked to attacks on US Defense contractors and US Congresswoman condemns attack on change.org

In 2011, Steve Ballmer is saying that China is doing 5 percent of the revenue that it should be doing because of pirated software. See the article Microsoft’s Chinese revenue 5% of what it could be

The BSA (Business Software Alliance), an industry lobby group, has some interesting figures to fuel Ballmer’s comments:

* Four of five software programs installed on PCs are pirated
* This amounts to “commercial theft” of close to $8 billion a year
* Piracy in 2010 cost the software industry $59 billion in revenue

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What do you think, Windows users? A little steamed? I would be. I left Microsoft a long time ago, and now make a partial, and pretty good living erasing hard drives and installing Windows for people who get viruses and trojans on their computers. Last year I made over $2000 doing this. Thanks, Windows!

Let's All of us dump Microsoft and run Linux on our computers. Free to download, easy to install and update, all have a forum to ask questions and learn Linux, never a blue screen, viruses do not work, very hard to hack, top notch security, and FREE, FREE, FREE!

I use PC Linux myself, a very easy OS to install and configure, takes less that half the time to install and set up than Windows.
Get it here: PC Linux

PC Linux forum: Forum

All you need is to download the iso, burn it to CD as an image, not a file, insert it into your CD drive, start on the CD instead of the HDD, boot up in the live CD mode, and check it out before installing. I will be more than happy to tutor any of you on using, updating, and configuring Linux.
Better hurry, before your Windows goes to blue screen for good.

On a personal note, I have had to reinstall Windows 7 on my wife's computer 3 times in 2 months because of a virus or trojan, it goes to blue screen after running source code on a Windows command terminal. Her yahoo email also got hacked, twice. The hacker changed her password and then sends out his trojan to all contacts in her address book. Two friends had the same thing happen to them, and one friend with a Hotmail account also got her account hacked. It is quite easy to hack yahoo, hotmail and gmail, all it takes is a similar account, and you send a script to the email server. In a few hours, the server send you the password. All you need to know it the username. I will not post the script here, for obvious reasons, but be ware, if you use one of these email servers, your email are not safe. The wife's attacker is a Muslim, from Turkey. I was able to track him there.

Or use Linux Mint.

Works straight out of the install, all codec's already installed including flash player.

As for Microsoft, I don't think they have been performing so well since Bill left.
They even give away their virtualising software free now when it used to cost big bucks.

Also Apple now have more financial clout than Microsoft.
Apart from the windows phone and the xbox, microsoft don't really do hardware unlike Apple.

I just watched the Apple keynote speech and they are talking about the 'post pc' era.
If Apple read the market right (and on the whole they do) then the days of the pc are numbered.
So where does this leave Microsoft ?
Up sh1t creak unless they develop something radical.

So what's the future of the pc ?
No Microsoft based

This is something that has been going on for awhile, silently. Some places have learned that the product does not live up to the hype that it once had and there are alternatives. Windows could be an awesome platform, if it were open source. Open source is the way to go, if the employer has the ability to get someone that knows what they are doing it could be a very efficient system. One thing about it though, the people that are good enough to really be able to utilize open source architecture are a dieing breed in the workplace, the consequence of Windows. With the economy the way it is, I can see this happening more and more, and start bringing back the open source people and maybe MS would have to start selling off parts of the company.

Originally posted by autowrench
What do you think, Windows users? A little steamed?

No, I have no problems with Windows, and haven't had any since 1996, when I bought my first PC.

When we know what we are doing, it doesn't matter if we use Windows, Mac OS, Linux or whatever, they are just tools.

PS: why would I be "steamed"?

Edit: you should use "external quotes" instead of normal "quotes", see this.

Edit: you should use "external quotes" instead of normal "quotes", see this.

Taken under advisement. I see your point here.
2nd line

Its about time, lets hope their savings will trickle down to us lol .

I have been using Linux for about 4 months now and I will never go back to Windows.

One of the OPs links 'major attack coming' is dated from Aug 2006.
The debate of windows vs linux is pointless and tired. Bottom line use what works and keep it updated at a minimum. I use both, each has their own strengths and weaknesses.

brill

reply to post by brill


That's something I have noticed on discussions between Windows and Linux users, a relatively large percentage of Linux users don't know Windows.

Some three or four years ago I had a conversation with a Linux fan that based his Windows knowledge on Windows 95/98. When I told him some Windows 2000 characteristics he was surprised that the difference between the two OS was not has big as he thought or as any of the other Linux fans with which he used to talk spoke about.

Originally posted by ArMaP
reply to post by brill

 

That's something I have noticed on discussions between Windows and Linux users, a relatively large percentage of Linux users don't know Windows.

This is true. I think linux is fantastic but the constant bickering of one versus the other is just arrogant. I'm a windows user too, it does the job when needed. People need to put more emphasis on common sense with any operating system and general Internet usage and the digital world would be a bit safer for all. Thanks for your reply.

brill

I propose a happy-medium - for those people who wish to or need to maintain Wind. on their PC/laptop consider downloading Linux to a USB and use it in persistent (all data saved) format. Use this USB when you are online at unsecured locations (ie. the local coffee shop or anywhere else that you're picking up free wi-fi). Using the USB will prevent you from having to install Linux in a dual boot fashion, though this is very easy to do and easy to reverse down the road should you wish.

I'm a Mint fan (Linux Mint and Peppermint) and have used them both for a few years (PCLinuxOS) is also a fantastic distro. if you wish to dual boot. If you wish to run a USB in RAM only (Puppy Linux) or (MacPuppy) are both good starters, especially if one just wants to surf securely. Windows-users can download an app. called Linux Live USB Creator or Universal USB Installer and use either to download the Linux distro. you choose to your USB.

Consider it an easy way to try without buying...

Well I have used Windows long enough to say Linux is a far better operating system, I have haven't had this smooth of a computer.

The lack of compatible software is the only problem I see, but if we could put some more effort into open source software, Linux too could use the same programs.

And I know my way around Windows and could trouble shoot any problem I have had with some help from Google.

Since I have installed Linux I have not had any freeze ups my computer temperature stays cool.

I don't see why I should pay all that money for a program that does not live up to its hype.

But yes its an AMD Vs Intel, Canon vs Nikon debate.

Originally posted by Tygart
Since I have installed Linux I have not had any freeze ups my computer temperature stays cool.

That's one thing I don't understand, how some people can have "freeze ups" or "blue screens" so frequently, I never had problems like that, not even when I opened a 2Gb image in Photoshop on a computer with only 768Mb of memory and Windows Vista (but it was obviously slow ).

On some things I notice that Linux is more responsive, but I don't see any significant difference between a virtual machine running Windows or another one running Linux.

Edit: but I agree, more Open Source software would be good for all.

Wow very interesting and eye opening information here, thank you - I had not heard anything about it up until now while browsing through this section of the forums.

As far as the whole Linux vs Windows thing goes, any OS has its own list of advantages and disadvantages; irregardless of which one YOU personally use, it comes down to YOU the USER.

Personally while I have messed around with ALL major OS's in the past (OSX, BSD, Linux, Windows, even things like DOS and AIX (AS/400's), I've stayed with Windows mainly because I haven't been able to break my habit of Gaming, and I like being able to use all kinds of various software easily, without having to first sit down and read hundreds of pages out of a user manual.

Hopefully Linux is a lot more user friendly these days than it was when I first messed around with it, I learned the hard way that back then the Security settings and Firewalls weren't even turned on by default - you actually had to sit down and CHMOD all kinds of things, depending on what all you wanted to do with your box...

reply to post by Time2Think

Linux now is more user friendly (at least the most popular distros like Ubuntu), but I think it's turning into something like an Apple OS, with lots of power hidden from the user.

Originally posted by ArMaP
reply to post by brill

 

That's something I have noticed on discussions between Windows and Linux users, a relatively large percentage of Linux users don't know Windows.

Some three or four years ago I had a conversation with a Linux fan that based his Windows knowledge on Windows 95/98. When I told him some Windows 2000 characteristics he was surprised that the difference between the two OS was not has big as he thought or as any of the other Linux fans with which he used to talk spoke about.

That may be true for some, I'll grant you that. But I work on computers most every day in my little shop. 95% of them run Windows. So I know my way around Microsoft products, and can secure them up with a lot of work. But, people are used to paying for their software, and it's hard to get them to believe in something that is Free. I have successfully converted three of my customers, one runs a local wrecker business. They are running Fedora 15, and use Open Office for the business end. They love it. Another woman wanted what I run, which is PCLinuxOS 2011 KDE. I set her up in less than one half the time it takes to set of a Windows machine. She likes all the games, and Mozilla Firefox Personas, a theme thing for Firefox.

Windows 7 is a bad OS, and Microsoft is quickly working on Windows 8 to replace it. I quit running Windows when Vista came out, started with Ubuntu, tried Slackware, Ran Fedora for a long time, but has problems with the Nvidia drivers, and finally settled on Texstar's great operating system. Installs in a few minutes, on a fast connection updates in 20 minutes or less. Another hour to configure everything, and done. It takes over 6 hours to install, set up update, and secure a Windows machine.

Originally posted by autowrench
I have successfully converted three of my customers, one runs a local wrecker business. They are running Fedora 15, and use Open Office for the business end.

I tried to replace Microsoft Office with Open Office on the company where I work, but the users didn't liked it.

The accounting department also uses some programs that only work with Excel 2000 or higher, so no luck there either.

It takes over 6 hours to install, set up update, and secure a Windows machine.

What do you do that takes that long?

Because it does. On a fresh hard drive, you place the Windows CD/DVD in and begin the install. This takes up to 45 minutes, on slower machines it takes longer. Then, install finished, there are all of those little annoying messages that pop up, informing you that new hardware is found, you need anti-virus programs, take a tour of Microsoft. When all that stops, you open Control Panel and configure the Firewall, and go to Windows Update, within the CP from Vista up. It will take 20 minutes or so here, then you must agree to install an Active X program, so M$ can make sure you are not running pirated software. Then the updates, this takes several hours to complete. Then Microsoft Security Essentials, this takes some time to update and do a quick scan. A full scan can take hours.

It is here that I look at the Device Manager, and see that all drivers are installed, most usually they are not. Device Doctor is a great help here, and some hardware will not work with Windows drivers, like some printers, and SATA drivers. Sometimes a specific driver must be hunted down, this can talk all day unless you know where to go. Before I can release a machine to a customer, all factory drivers must be installed.
Then the Service Pack install, this takes over an hour. If the machine has plenty of memory, I can copy files, photos and docs from the customer's old install to the new install, if not a lot of memory, this has to be done a little at a time.

All said and done, when I do this, six hours go by before I pronounce the machine finished. It is a little faster on a 2Gb plus computer, and on a low memory one, 256 MB or so, it takes longer. I have two 2Gb sticks I install for the duration of the install, but I only have this for DDR 2 boards, not for the new DDR 3 boards. don;t believe me? Try this for yourself.

Originally posted by autowrench
Because it does. On a fresh hard drive, you place the Windows CD/DVD in and begin the install. This takes up to 45 minutes, on slower machines it takes longer. Then, install finished, there are all of those little annoying messages that pop up, informing you that new hardware is found, you need anti-virus programs, take a tour of Microsoft. When all that stops, you open Control Panel and configure the Firewall, and go to Windows Update, within the CP from Vista up. It will take 20 minutes or so here, then you must agree to install an Active X program, so M$ can make sure you are not running pirated software. Then the updates, this takes several hours to complete. Then Microsoft Security Essentials, this takes some time to update and do a quick scan. A full scan can take hours.

This is why i no longer do clean installs.

I took a old 80gb hard drive and did a clean install and up graded everything (like you say it takes 6+ hours.)

Now if i want to do a clean install i just clone this drive and it only takes about 2 hours.

I also have a 250 gb drive that i clone from my computer about once every two month.

If i lose my hard drive its takes 10 minutes to drop this drive in and i am back on line. and only lose less then two months data and most of that i can retrieve from my backup data drive.

reply to post by autowrench


The basic Windows 7 install takes less than 30 minutes, a full install, configuration and update takes less than 3 hours.

I know because I have done that myself, as well as my to colleagues at work. Even installing Windows 7 on an Asus EeePC didn't take that long.

I don't recall it taking 6 hrs, but this was Windows XP.

Using Vista, as for the freeze ups it was because of how Vista uses RAM memory, causing programs to slow down or just crash since there is not enough RAM.

With Windows I was always installing and removing programs, tweaking, upgrading, I have had to use systems restore a few times.

I have been doing the same thing now that I have Linux, and it has not skipped a beat, and I don't even need to reboot after.

There are times a simple MS update will not install right and mess something up. another problem was missing .dill files.