Windows : The Most Virus-Ridden OS in History

Come on - here is Microsoft trying to convince everyone that they are serious about security. Really. And week after week there is another dangerous breach. And week after week there is another warning. Bill Gates is trundled out to utter some words about the need for security. and week after week another virus or security flaw is uncovered. Let's face it - weak security is simply part of the platform. They can talk about security endlessly - with very little effect. If we were movie-goers watching this - we would all be saying - "Hey we've seen this how many times before?" Yet we don't because we have been thoroughly wearied by this - we view this as the usual and the ordinary. There is no defense for the security of Windows. It is simply bad - it doesn't have anything to do with how many people use the platform - it is simply that security on Windows is really feeble.

I was busy reading the proverbial news when the latest Microsoft Windows virus du-jour appeared. Microsoft is busy warning system administrators on Wednesday that a new flaw in Windows 2000 and Windows NT domain controllers could leave their servers open for attack. They have a new patch. Read about it here.

If you haven't read Contagion : Why Our Dependency On Microsoft Makes Us Susceptible , one of the foremost experts on security, Gene Spafford, lists platforms and numbers of threats in each. This was done in May of 2000. It was the last time this was done - perhaps it is time for another one - I think the number of security flaws, viruses and breaches would be much higher than Microsoft's incredible 52,000+ number. It is almost surreal - what good is a platform that cannot guarantee some modest level of security - instead acting like a Petrie dish and wonderful way of spreading these viruses.

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