Comments on: The Truth About Geniuses, Viruses and Good Marketing http://www.philoking.com/2009/05/13/the-truth-about-geniuses-viruses-and-good-marketing/ Computing for the OS Agnostic Sun, 29 Jan 2012 06:10:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: nigratruo http://www.philoking.com/2009/05/13/the-truth-about-geniuses-viruses-and-good-marketing/comment-page-1/#comment-24462 nigratruo Mon, 17 May 2010 10:00:01 +0000 http://www.philoking.com/2009/05/13/the-truth-about-geniuses-viruses-and-good-marketing/#comment-24462 And yes, I have seen virus ridden systems in the last 4 years, tons of them. Usually of users that get the antivirus trialware when they buy the computer and then refuse to pay for a subscription. Well, heck, of course they should not. Why would you have to pay for something that should be included in the price? They often don't know about free antivirus and so the systems I encountered, they were beyond help. Even installing a antivirus ended with a few reboots and bluescreens all around and a reinstall. This was on XP. How good Vista and 7 is going to be, only time and experience will tell. Virus infections will surely go down, as a result of the new security features. Which are, funny enough, pretty close to what Linux has always had: least privilege, separate user accounts and no working as admin, password prompts for privilege elevation. Oh, and I just remember, I forgot the link from the last post: here the document I refered to.. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/10/22/security_report_windows_vs_linux/ an interesting read, especially concerning the architectural differences between the two OSes and how they affect security. As a security pro I know that ease of use often is totally opposite to good security. And yes, I have seen virus ridden systems in the last 4 years, tons of them. Usually of users that get the antivirus trialware when they buy the computer and then refuse to pay for a subscription. Well, heck, of course they should not. Why would you have to pay for something that should be included in the price? They often don’t know about free antivirus and so the systems I encountered, they were beyond help. Even installing a antivirus ended with a few reboots and bluescreens all around and a reinstall. This was on XP. How good Vista and 7 is going to be, only time and experience will tell. Virus infections will surely go down, as a result of the new security features. Which are, funny enough, pretty close to what Linux has always had: least privilege, separate user accounts and no working as admin, password prompts for privilege elevation.

Oh, and I just remember, I forgot the link from the last post:

here the document I refered to..
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/10/22/security_report_windows_vs_linux/

an interesting read, especially concerning the architectural differences between the two OSes and how they affect security.
As a security pro I know that ease of use often is totally opposite to good security.

]]> By: nigratruo http://www.philoking.com/2009/05/13/the-truth-about-geniuses-viruses-and-good-marketing/comment-page-1/#comment-24461 nigratruo Mon, 17 May 2010 09:52:35 +0000 http://www.philoking.com/2009/05/13/the-truth-about-geniuses-viruses-and-good-marketing/#comment-24461 ::The most common, and true, argument is that Windows machines have more viruses because 90% of people use Windows computers, if you are trying to cause damage, you go after the larger target. OS X won’t find safety in it’s small numbers forever. Hmm, you think that is true, right? Where is your proof? It is so dumb to hear that argument over and over again. Linux for example has less or no viruses because it had a sound security infrastructure FOR EVER, while Windows truly sucked security wise, starting with NT and even XP was had still holes that you could drive a 747 through. Microsoft was incredible pathetic in trying to deny it, instead of cleaning up their act. Now with Vista and 7 this has changed (although the standard settings of 7 are much more insecure than Vista, expect security headlines from this soon) I am certified security expert on both Windows and Linux (CISSP), so I have a perspective on both systems. So where is my proof? here: I am so tired of hearing this DUUMB line over and over, mostly from people that really don't know much about computers and have no truly deep training in it. If you don't know stuff, why not just shut up instead of losing your face when you meet a person that truly knows how things are? A security architecture must be present from the very start in a OS. Retrofiting does never work. It is like you install steel doors in a hut. The legacy compatibility modes of Vista and 7 are truly ugly in that respect and punching HUGE holes in the whole OS. Unix on the other side was already designed with least priviledge and all kinds of security consideration back in the early 70'ies and Linux inherited much of that, including highly trained people that you can truly call engineers today. ::The most common, and true, argument is that Windows machines have more viruses because 90% of people use Windows computers, if you are trying to cause damage, you go after the larger target. OS X won’t find safety in it’s small numbers forever.

Hmm, you think that is true, right? Where is your proof?
It is so dumb to hear that argument over and over again. Linux for example has less or no viruses because it had a sound security infrastructure FOR EVER, while Windows truly sucked security wise, starting with NT and even XP was had still holes that you could drive a 747 through. Microsoft was incredible pathetic in trying to deny it, instead of cleaning up their act. Now with Vista and 7 this has changed (although the standard settings of 7 are much more insecure than Vista, expect security headlines from this soon) I am certified security expert on both Windows and Linux (CISSP), so I have a perspective on both systems.

So where is my proof? here:

I am so tired of hearing this DUUMB line over and over, mostly from people that really don’t know much about computers and have no truly deep training in it. If you don’t know stuff, why not just shut up instead of losing your face when you meet a person that truly knows how things are?

A security architecture must be present from the very start in a OS. Retrofiting does never work. It is like you install steel doors in a hut. The legacy compatibility modes of Vista and 7 are truly ugly in that respect and punching HUGE holes in the whole OS.
Unix on the other side was already designed with least priviledge and all kinds of security consideration back in the early 70′ies and Linux inherited much of that, including highly trained people that you can truly call engineers today.

]]> By: Tremont Poole http://www.philoking.com/2009/05/13/the-truth-about-geniuses-viruses-and-good-marketing/comment-page-1/#comment-23388 Tremont Poole Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:59:42 +0000 http://www.philoking.com/2009/05/13/the-truth-about-geniuses-viruses-and-good-marketing/#comment-23388 You would have to be a fool to install a new pc and not protect it. I run an IT firm and we get paid a lot to remove viruses/rootkits and malware from people just like you who have that attitude. Viruses/Malware are very prevalent, software and education are the tools you use to combat this. Lots of drive-by malware out there even if you are a "responsible" user. Its very irresponsible to even hint that viruses are in anyway passe. I am sure an infected user cannot bill you for all their easily avoidable issues. My two cents.. You would have to be a fool to install a new pc and not protect it.
I run an IT firm and we get paid a lot to remove viruses/rootkits and malware from people just like you who have that attitude.
Viruses/Malware are very prevalent, software and education are the tools you use to combat this.
Lots of drive-by malware out there even if you are a “responsible” user.
Its very irresponsible to even hint that viruses are in anyway passe. I am sure an infected user cannot bill you for all their easily avoidable issues. My two cents..

]]> By: comforter http://www.philoking.com/2009/05/13/the-truth-about-geniuses-viruses-and-good-marketing/comment-page-1/#comment-22429 comforter Sun, 17 May 2009 05:21:08 +0000 http://www.philoking.com/2009/05/13/the-truth-about-geniuses-viruses-and-good-marketing/#comment-22429 I personally have no problem installing Windows XP, Vista or 7 on a new machine and connecting it to the internet with no Virus protection software. I personally have no problem installing Windows XP, Vista or 7 on a new machine and connecting it to the internet with no Virus protection software.

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