__/ [ John John ] on Friday 17 November 2006 15:54 \__
> Roy Schestowitz wrote:
>
>> Windows 2000 faces security melt down
>>
>> ,----[ Quote ]
>> | Despite the fact that the operating system is as old as Spinola, and
>> | that Microsoft refused to service them any more, there is still a
>> | large number of Windows 2000 machines out there.
>> |
>> | According to News.com, a "critical" Windows 2000 exploit has been
>> | released on the Internet designed to kick the crutch of the ageing
>> | operating system.
>> |
>> | The exploit takes advantage of a security hole in a file system and
>> | print request application "Workstation Service". The flaw can be
>> | exploited remotely without any user interaction.
>> |
>> | [...]
>> |
>> | Microsoft has released a patch for the operating system using
>> | security bulletin MS06-070. This is despite saying that it had
>> | given up on Windows 2000 and would not make any more security
>> | ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>> | fixes for it.
>> | ^^^^^^^^^^^^
>> `----
>>
>> http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=35796
>>
>> Last year:
>>
>> ,----[ Quote ]
>> | Use of Microsoft Windows XP has grown inside corporations, but a new
>> | study shows that nearly half of business PCs are still running the
>> | older Windows 2000.
>> `----
>>
>>
>>
http://news.com.com/The+slow+road+to+Windows+XP/2100-1016_3-5746046.html?part=rss&tag=5746046&subj=news
>
> It never ceases to amaze me how some people on both sides of the
> Linux/Windows fence are completely ignorant of the facts and go about
> propagating lies and misconceptions. Windows 2000 is in its extended
> support phase and Microsoft will issue security fixes for it until
> sometimes in 2010. The Weekly World News is more reliable than your
> sources! http://www.weeklyworldnews.com/intergalactic/
>
> John
Well, this may be true and I'm surprised that The Inquirer got the facts
wrong (or maybe interpreted this reality differently).
Either way, Microsoft had better hurry up and patch those hundreds of
millions of workstation.
'Computer code that exploits a "critical" Windows 2000 vulnerability has been
released on the Internet'
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-6136310.html
The world is burdened by roughly 100 billion SPAM a day /already/ (spewed out
of compromised Windows boxes). I am not sure it is prepared to cope with
much more (an order of magnitude seems foreseeable). I have little or no
sympathy for those whose Windows 2000 gets slow(er) and leaks out personal
data, including that which leads to theft and fraud. The US is said to be
spending $61 billion per year on security (that includes tax money and wages
deductions from that of Mac and Linux users). The US loses around $10 per
year due to viruses and malware. I'd take these published figures with a
grain of salt though.
Best wishes,
Roy
--
Roy S. Schestowitz | Linux: stop maintenance; get more actual work done
http://Schestowitz.com | SuSE GNU/Linux ¦ PGP-Key: 0x74572E8E
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