Microsoft on Track to Offer Anti-Virus Software

So, not free at last

 

That is like selling a car that is designed and made so badly,
that if you buy it,
you have to buy an extra large toolbox at the same company,
to repair the parts that fall off the car while driving.

I really can't understand why the same security bugs that where in the first
releases of MS products or now still there. since the early 80's

Like OUTLOOK, from the first version, virusses were able to
send data to the contactlist.
Solution: make a patch for every virus that uses that hole,
for years and years and years to come.
The problem was/is never solved...

And now they are selling an AV medical-kit to stop de bleeding.

So the next year we gonne see lines like: Buy the new Microsoft :
Anti-virus software
Trojan scanner
Port Explorer
Registry protector
Firewall
Spyware-sweeper
Wormprotector
Spamfilter program
MediaPlayer security kit.
Explorer protector
P2P security program
etc. etc. ect.

But the nice thing about this all is of course, we (IT people)
have always work enough.

Tuatara de brughagedis

 

Microsoft Anti-virus software? I bet its standard is lousier compared to Norton and Mcafee. Example: If they release anti-spam software, I think instead of kicking the spam out from your e-mail inbox, it invites all the spam in!

 

Microsoft has done some wierd things in the past but with their av that they bought (RAV AV ) they knew it was pretty good or they wouldn't have purchased it. I imagine that it will still be a very good AV.

 

Redesigning the OS, or better make Longhorn so,
that it PREVENTS Virusses would be better.
Then making junk, and (ALSO) selling tools to repair the damage. :>(
What are a few extra years?

Example:

If you have other OS-es they have something like a MMU Memory Mgt Unit.
The OS, doesn't allow access to memory, without going via this MMU.
So the MMU has complete control over what happens with the memory.
One application can never write in the allocated memoryspace of another!
Virusproblem with memory is solved !
Blue screens etc, GENERAL protection,MAJOR faults,MINOR faults,CAPTAIN.... :>) errors about this ... Gone !

In the NEW Windows it is quitte easy to drop the compatibillity issue
for antique software (non 32Bit) by simple don't allow those anymore.
If there still isn't a 32 Bit version of the prog...then it has no reason to excist anymore.
This way the problem of several applications all running in the same memorypool (and virusses)
that can interfere with each other is solved.
For the 32Bits and i hope 64Bits applications (all other Major OS-es can run 64Bits for YEARS now) can run via such a MMU.
Without any problem.

Just look how professional OS-es are designed, and how they solved those problems.

XP is one of the best designed Windows versions, but look at the securityproblems in the design, and the tools you need to solve them.

It is just like in this joke..

An American and a Japanese guy where both waiting for an airoplane on an airfield, when the American said 'what a nice watch is that on your wrist' .
The Japanse guy replied "yes , it is a prototype from the company i work,
it has a television,GPS,Organizer,Mobile Phone,Fax,Internet and coffeemachine in it' .

Wow, said the American, can't i buy it, and he bought the watch.
When he ran to catch his airoplane, the Japanese guy called him and said
"wait , you forgot these 2 large suitcases, the contain the batteries , you need for it'.

With Windows you think you buy a complete OS,
but in the suitcases (you have to buy extra) there are
the AV
Trojan Scanner
Spyware Scanner
Process protector etc. etc.

:>) ...better laugh then cry about it :>)

 

Billions of dollars, market share. The harsh world of business.

 

RAV is an excellent piece of software. but when i used it in my ME machine i had to turn off the RTM when i wanted to run Scandisk. i guess Microsoft will fix this LOL. judging by their record they will surely do things to make users use RAV. one thing i have to give to Bill Gates, he certainly has the vision for great profitable ideas. now thanks to windows AV industry is at its full swing so Microsoft decided to join the club.

dear tuatara, is it a white snake with legs? Microsoft already included their firewall with XP. i guess their next step would be to include app blocking.

 

Do they really call that thing a firewall ?

Using a Microsoft Firewall is like buying and testing cigarettes in a
dynamite-shop :>)

And BTW ...
Tuatara are rare, medium-sized reptiles (adults ranging from about 300g to 1000g) found only in New Zealand, They are the only extant members of the Order Sphenodontia, which was well represented by many species during the age of the dinosaurs, some 200 million years ago. All species apart from the tuatara declined and eventually became extinct about 60 million years ago. Tuatara are therefore of huge international interest to biologists and are also recognised internationally and within New Zealand as species in need of active conservation management.

The tuatara's most fascinating feature is its third or pineal "eye". Externally, it looks like a tiny spot on top of the animal's head. There is a cluster of light-sensitive cells situated on top of its brain, just below a small hole in the skull. This third "eye" probably serves to regulate the tuatara's exposure to the sun and so regulate its body temperature.

So it is just like me: an oldtimer with a 'third eye'....
(you need that to stay alive that long, in this job) :>)

 

Windows Firewall sucks only if you don't know how to configure its ports. Otherwise its much better then any Kerio 4.x (Kv4 has problems with port stealthing,but WInXP firewall does not)

 

I am pleased to hear that you are a happy MS firewall user.
And i have never used Kerio myself,so i don't know the product,
so thanks for the info regarding Kerio,....never to old to learn.

 

dear tuatara, thanks for that eye-opener. but of course you can call it a firewall. i agree with RejZor when he says it has nice stealth abilities. but in my opinion its not wise to compare it with Kerio. i used Kerio and had no problem in any stealth tests. when you configure it right there is nothing like it. MS firewall lacks a LOT of features but it has the bare minimum.

RAV is a very good AV. can't wait to test it when it comes out from Microsoft. but maybe they'll only include a few modules they think necessary for bouncing off worms like Blaster.

 

That reminds me that Microsoft had already once tried to step into the antivirus market with a MS DOS product and failed. We will see if their second try will be more sucessfull.

Microsoft bouhgt RAV but I don't know how many of the original developers are still there and working for Microsoft. From what I heard a lot of good people left GeCAD and joined other AV companies like Kaspersky for example.

The question to me is: Does really somebody need an antivirus product from Microsoft? What should be the advantage of that product compared to those from specialised companies who are in that business for years?

wizard

 

if Microsoft really launches it as a separate product, it would be worth a try just because the RAV is an excellent AV. Microsoft purchased it doesn't mean suddenly there will be a degrade in performance. i'm sure they'll customise it to seamlessly integrate with their flagship product. couple of issues will be srted out. i only fear that they might thrust it with their OS just like this firewall. knowing Microsoft, they certainly won't left a stone unturned as far as marketing is concerned.

 

dear ronjor, i encountered a couple of i/o issues that shouldn't be there. i even had to turn the RTM off if i wanted to run Scandisk. but then i was using Millenium. i still use it in one computer.

BTW now that you've quoted me i can see that i missed out an 'O'. geez it looks so horrible.

 

Integration. Microsoft makes Windows so they know well enough what to protect against in their software, how to integrate well into the core, and will most likely make advanced heuristic code to add to their software. Unlike how some AV and Firewall software can crash a system, Microsoft's AV should not have the same fate. However, the question of security still exists for a company known for major security holes in products.

But then again, don't you guys think Microsoft is somewhat experienced enough now for security? I wouldn't be surprised if just one simple virus could easily infiltrate G5s everywhere and take total control.