Allchin Suggests Vista Won't Need Antivirus

[ronjor]

-{ Quote: "During a telephone conference with reporters yesterday, outgoing Microsoft co-president Jim Allchin, while touting the new security features of Windows Vista, which was released to manufacturing yesterday, told a reporter that the system's new lockdown features are so capable and thorough that he was comfortable with his own seven-year-old son using Vista without antivirus software installed." }-Story (http://www.betanews.com/article/Allchin_Suggests_Vista_Wont_Need_Antivirus/1163104965)

[lucas1985]

I don´t think so, antivirus are a necessary evil these days ;)

[WSFuser]

right...like id trust Windows w/o antivirus ::)

[ThunderZ]

Next thing you know, they will be telling you you do not need a PC either.......:D

[nadirah]

-{ Quote: "Next thing you know, they will be telling you you do not need a PC either.......:D" }-

Well thunder, I definitely am not going to upgrade to Vista yet. I plan to wait 1-2 years before I upgrade. Of course, the worst-case scenario is when they pull the plug on windows xp.
Now they are telling people you do not need this and that, I think they are overconfident and arrogant. Will some kind soul please confirm whether it's possible to run Vista without any security software at all?

[bigc73542]

I ran Vista for several months and I wouldn't use it without an av. I don't know if it will be the malware or Vista it self you have to watch out for. And actually I don't care to ever run Vista again.

[aigle]

It,s simply insane and grandiose statement.
Let it come out and see.

[ThunderZ]

-{ Quote: "I definitely am not going to upgrade to Vista yet. I plan to wait 1-2 years before I upgrade." }-

You are going to rush in to it? :o Now realize this is being written by a man who still runs Win 2k on his personal tower. ;D ;)

[Chubb]

Microsoft is simply telling people that Windows One Care for Vista is unnecessary. ;D ;D ;D :P

So don't buy Windows One Care per Allchin's advice...::)

But I will need KAV for Vista ;D

[btman]

The kids 7. Of course he won't need an anti-virus unless he's planning on coal for Christmas.

[SpikeyB]

I've been running XP without an AV for about a year with no problem. I can't see why Vista should be any different.

[lucas1985]

-{ Quote: "I've been running XP without an AV for about a year with no problem. I can't see why Vista should be any different." }-
I don´t deny that such setup is impossible(I´ve tried it for long times without issues) but AVs are the basic defense line for all but few people.
Almost everybody use P2Ps, watch porn online, open suspicious attachments or have insecure/misconfigured systems
Also, an AV adds peace of mind

[tansu]

-{ Quote: ""I'll give you an example: My son, seven years old, runs Windows Vista, and, honestly, he doesn't have an antivirus system on his machine. His machine is locked down with parental controls, he can't download things unless it's to the places that I've said that he could do, and I'm feeling totally confident about that,"" }-

Poor boy

[ronjor]

Allchin Backs Off Antivirus Remarks
-{ Quote: "Outgoing Microsoft co-president Jim Allchin posted a blog entry Friday apologizing for the confusion surrounding comments he made to reporters Wednesday about being so confident in Windows Vista's security that his seven-year-old son's PC had no antivirus software installed." }-Story (http://www.betanews.com/article/Allchin_Backs_Off_Antivirus_Remarks/1163201739)

[Mrkvonic]

Hello,
Actually, you don't have to use AV with any Windows, but it can be nice to have it.
Mrk

[TOMxEU]

-{ Quote: "Actually, you don't have to use AV with any Windows, but it can be nice to have it." }-
Good point. Most people will allways need AV and the rest should have it, no matter what OS.
I guess, that Allchin will be fired soon, since security firms earn millions by selling "useless" soft.

[ronjor]

Vista, Antivirus: What If Allchin's Right?
-{ Quote: "What Jim Allchin did suggest was that Vista might not need antivirus, at least in some specific, guarded situations.

Now, while you’re turning that over in your mind, and maybe thinking, "What’s the difference?" I want to focus on an aspect of this story that somehow got missed in all the hubbub over who didn’t say what. Why were so many so quick to condemn the suggestion that an operating system could be capable of evolving beyond the absolute requirement for antivirus software, especially from a third party?" }-Article (http://www.betanews.com/article/Vista_Antivirus_What_If_Allchins_Right/1163448148)

[nadirah]

-{ Quote: "Good point. Most people will allways need AV and the rest should have it, no matter what OS.
I guess, that Allchin will be fired soon, since security firms earn millions by selling "useless" soft." }-

I saw a line somewhere about his status: Outgoing Microsoft co-president Jim Allchin :thumb:

[herbalist]

Windows without an AV is feasible, if you substitute HIPS in place of one. Too many of their security claims for Vista were blown out of the water before it was even released. If their track record is any indication, I'd sooner bet on Vista proving to be a security nightmare.
-{ Quote: "Why were so many so quick to condemn the suggestion that an operating system could be capable of evolving beyond the absolute requirement for antivirus software, especially from a third party?" }-
I would be willing to agree that it's entirely possible to produce an operating system that's secure enough to not need an AV, AT, AS, etc, but it won't come from a company that has more interest in expanding a monopoly than in producing a truly secure system. If they did, no one would need their own in house security software either? That would hurt their bottom line.
Rick

[Notok]

I think the key point he was making was the lockdown that's possible, especially for a highly restricted environment that a parent may set up. If it's set so that no files can be downloaded and software restrictions are in place, it may acutally be feasible without an antivirus, although I don't know that I would want to do so since there will inevitably be threats eventually targeted at Vista for just this kind of situation. The guy was just being over-confident. I don't agree with him, but don't know that it's the kind of thing worth firing him over.. a correction should really suffice, IMO.

[Pedro]

I think he was misread: http://windowsvistablog.com/blogs/windowsvista/archive/2006/11/10/windows-vista-defense-in-depth.aspx