Security threats Toolkit

Story: Microsoft: 'Harden your environment'

• 
• 

While I agree partly with what is said in this article - it IS the responsibility of the end user to satisfy themselves as to the security of their own systems - I believe that Microsoft have consistently failed consumers with the security of their products and continue to do so.

There will always be a way of "forcing" entry into a system, there will always be hackers, and Microsoft OSs will always be a target simply because they are the most prevalent. This is acceptable common sense.

What is not acceptable is the amount of flaws, bugs and holes in the OSs and applications that Microsoft has been bringing to market. Furthermore, the rationale of "Patch Tuesday" to deal with issues strikes me as farcical. If there's a serious flaw on my system I want to fix it NOW - not according to my calendar. Microsoft's failure to release a patch to deal with the recently exposed IE weakness is horrendous.

In short - Microsoft needs to pull its' socks up - stop realising products according to shareholder demand, and improve the quality of released product. Will it increase product development costs? yes - but personally, I think Good ol' Bill can afford it - don't you?

• 
• 

• 
• 
• 

Full Talkback thread