Windows has a 17 year old un-patched vulnerability

[roadbloc]

The Microsoft Tax: Windows 7 zero-day flaw enables attackers to cripple PCs; Macintosh unaffected - November 16, 2009
The Microsoft Tax: Windows 7 flaw allows attackers to remotely crash PCs; Macintosh unaffected - November 12, 2009
The Microsoft Tax: Windows virus delivers child porn to PCs, users go to jail; Mac users unaffected - November 09, 2009
The Microsoft Tax: Worms infest Windows PCs worldwide; Mac users unaffected - November 02, 2009
The Microsoft Tax: Banking Trojan horse steals money from Windows sufferers; Mac users unaffected - September 30, 2009
The Microsoft Tax: Serious Windows security flaw lets hackers to take over PCs; Macintosh unaffected - July 07, 2009
The Microsoft Tax: Windows Conficker worm hits hospital devices; Macintosh unaffected - April 29, 2009
The Microsoft Tax: Conficker virus begins to attack Windows PCs; Macintosh unaffected - April 27, 2009
The Microsoft Tax: Conficker’s estimated economic cost: $9.1 billion - April 24, 2009

Millions of Windows PCs taken over by hackers, including UK and US gov’t machines; Macs unaffected - April 22, 2009
Conficker worm hits University of Utah’s Windows PCs; Apple Macs unaffected - April 13, 2009
Windows Conficker kicks into action, able to steal data from infected PCs; Macintosh unaffected - April 10, 2009
Windows Conficker worm awakens, updates via P2P, begins to drop payload; Macintosh unaffected - April 09, 2009
Millions of infected Windows PCs set to go off on April 1; Macintosh unaffected - March 31, 2009
Millions of infected Microsoft Windows PCs face doomsday on April 1; Macintosh unaffected - March 24, 2009
Windows data-stealing ‘Tigger’ trojan infects stock trading firms; Macintosh users unaffected - March 10, 2009
French navy fighter planes grounded by Windows worm; Mac-based naval systems unaffected - February 25, 2009
Houston courts shut down due to Windows virus; Macs unaffected - February 10, 2009
Windows virus knocks out Vancouver school computers for three weeks and counting; Macs unaffected - January 31, 2009
Massive Windows virus with mystery payload continues to spread rapidly; Macintosh unaffected - January 26, 2009
Massive Windows virus continues rapid spread, also affects Vista, Windows 7; Macintosh unaffected - January 21, 2009
Windows PC worm infection numbers skyrocket; Macintosh unaffected - January 19, 2009
Dangerous new sleeper virus exposes millions of Windows PCs to hijack; Macintosh unaffected - January 16, 2009
Zero-day attack targets all versions of Internet Explorer; Mac users unaffected - December 12, 2008
Windows worm loose on International Space Station; Mac-using astronauts unaffected - August 27, 2008
Microsoft inflicts Internet Explorer 8 Beta; Mac users unaffected - March 05, 2008
Gathering ‘Storm’ superworm poses grave threat to Windows PCs; Apple Macs unaffected - October 19, 2007
Windows virus cripples Florida newspaper; Mac-based publishers unaffected - March 02, 2007
Insidious Windows virus threatens business networks worldwide; Macintosh unaffected - March 01, 2007
Windows ‘Storm Worm’ rages across globe; Apple Macintosh unaffected - January 19, 2007
Sony, Gracenote sound alarm over Microsoft flaw; Macintosh unaffected - September 19, 2006
PowerPoint zero-day attack compromises data in infected Windows PCs; Mac OS X unaffected - July 21, 2006
Windows PC users infected with worm face loss of all Microsoft, Adobe files; Mac users unaffected - January 31, 2006
Microsoft Windows’ Zero-Day WMF flaw threats widespread; Macintosh unaffected - December 29, 2005
Microsoft Windows virus spreads rapidly; Apple Macintosh unaffected - November 28, 2005
Windows users fall victim to huge ID theft ring, 50 banks in danger; Apple Mac users unaffected - August 25, 2005
Quickly spreading Microsoft Windows worm affects CNN, ABC, NY Times; Apple Macintosh unaffected - August 16, 2005
‘Zotob’ worm rapidly infects Microsoft Windows; Macintosh unaffected - August 15, 2005
16-percent of computer users are unaffected by viruses, malware because they use Apple Macs - June 15, 2005
Microsoft warns of critical Windows flaws; unaffected Mac users just continue working - June 15, 2005
Michael Jackson suicide spam hides Windows virus; Macintosh unaffected - June 10, 2005
Windows Sober.p poised to attack this Monday; Macintosh unaffected - May 21, 2005
Microsoft Windows Sober.P worm shows ‘epidemic’ spread; Macintosh unaffected - May 03, 2005
Anzae/Inzae worm affects all Windows versions after 3.1; Macintosh unaffected - December 28, 2004
Windows Mydoom worm variant spreading in the wild; Macintosh unaffected - November 09, 2004
Windows XP worm speaks to users as it deletes their files; Macintosh unaffected - September 13, 2004
Millions of Windows PC’s hijacked by hackers, turned into zombies; Macintosh unaffected - September 08, 2004
Windows ‘Zindos’ virus spreads, attacks Microsoft.com; Macintosh unaffected - July 29, 2004
New Windows Bagle virus variants spread; Macintosh unaffected - July 16, 2004
Windows Lovegate worm variant renders computers useless; Macintosh unaffected - July 08, 2004
Windows Scob virus collects passwords, financial data; Macintosh unaffected - July 05, 2004
Windows ‘Scob’ virus designed to steal financial data, passwords; Macintosh unaffected - June 26, 2004
Windows users warned of infectious Web sites that take over computers; Mac users unaffected - June 25, 2004
Windows Korgo virus ‘aggressively stealing’ credit card numbers; Macintosh unaffected - June 04, 2004
First Windows 64-bit virus appears; Macintosh unaffected - May 27, 2004
Windows Wallon virus wipes out Microsoft Media Player on infected PCs; Macintosh unaffected - May 12, 2004
Windows Sasser worm mutates, knocks out banks, EC; Macintosh unaffected - May 04, 2004
Windows Sasser worm severely disrupts UK coastguard; Mac users remain unaffected - May 04, 2004
Windows Sasser net worm spreading rapidly; Macintosh unaffected - May 03, 2004
Sen. Edward Kennedy’s Apple Mac-based office totally unaffected by viruses - March 22, 2004
Five new Windows Bagle virus variants break nasty new ground; Macintosh unaffected - March 19, 2004
Windows worm, virus outbreaks intensify; Macintosh unaffected - March 03, 2004
Destructive MyDoom.F virus deletes Windows users’ files; Macintosh unaffected - March 01, 2004
Netsky-D Windows worm spreading; Macintosh unaffected - March 01, 2004
Windows users suffer five new Bagle worm variants; Macintosh unaffected - March 01, 2004
New MyDoom Windows worm deletes random files; Macintosh unaffected - February 25, 2004
Windows NetSky e-mail worm spreading; Macintosh unaffected - February 18, 2004
Windows virus ‘Bagle.B’ spreading; Macintosh unaffected - February 17, 2004
‘Doomjuice’ worm emerges, targets Microsoft; Macintosh unaffected - February 10, 2004
New version of Mydoom Windows virus appears, attacks Microsoft; Macintosh unaffected - January 28, 2004
Latest Windows virus ‘MyDoom’ sets new infection records worldwide; Macintosh unaffected - January 27, 2004
‘MyDoom’ Windows virus spreads rapidly; Macintosh unaffected - January 26, 2004
New Windows worm spreading ‘hard and fast’ worldwide; Macintosh unaffected - January 19, 2004
Florida students patch 360 PCs in marathon session due to Blaster virus; their Macs unaffected - October 01, 2003
Pennsylvania school district’s PCs infected with virus; their Macs unaffected - October 01, 2003
New ‘Swen worm’ masquerades as Windows Security Update; Macintosh unaffected - September 19, 2003
University of Illinois still patching all Windows machines; Macintosh unaffected - September 05, 2003
Montana school district’s Windows computers offline due to worm; Macintosh computers unaffected - September 03, 2003
A tale of two school systems: Windows schools crippled while Mac schools unaffected - August 21, 2003
SoBig virus variant rapidly inflecting Windows machines; Macintosh unaffected - August 19, 2003
Windows Blaster worm to attack Microsoft on Saturday; Macintosh unaffected - August 13, 2003
MBlast Worm spreads through flaw in Windows; Macintosh unaffected - August 11, 2003
Hackers hijack Windows PCs for porn serving; Macintosh unaffected - July 11, 2003
Palyh Worm strikes Windows users worldwide; Macintosh unaffected - May 19, 2003
Microsoft bug exposes millions to attack; Macintosh unaffected - November 20, 2002

I do not have enough years left in my life to read all of that.

*LTD*, please, stop this obsessive flaming. Windows has it's pro's and con's, as does OS X. When you put the cards on the table, I'd say Mac only just has the edge at the moment.

I think it's time to log off, buy a soda, take a walk and look at the outside world. Hell... maybe even have some sex. And then log back on and see how you feel. You may then realise at the end of the day that they are all just Operating Systems, and they all aim to achieve roughly the same thing. And it is just personal preference of what you use. Same with web browsers.

 

[*LTD*]

I'd say Mac only just has the edge at the moment.

Several hundred thousand to zero. "Only just has the edge"? How about a complete landslide. This is a total 180 from where Windows is. You need to put on a biohazard suit before you go anywhere near a Windows box!


http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-10455525-245.html

The Microsoft Tax: 74,000 Windows PCs in 2,500 companies attacked globally; Mac users unaffected

"More than 74,000 PCs at nearly 2,500 organizations around the globe were compromised over the past year and a half in a botnet infestation designed to steal login credentials to bank sites, social networks, and e-mail systems, a security firm said Wednesday," Elinor Mills reports for CNET.

"The systems were infected with the Zeus Trojan and the botnet was dubbed 'Kneber' after a username that linked the infected PCs on corporate and government systems, according to NetWitness," Mills reports. "The Wall Street Journal reported that Merck, Cardinal Health, Paramount Pictures, and Juniper Networks were among the targets in the attack. NetWitness speculated that criminals in Eastern Europe using a command-and-control server in Germany sent attachments containing the malware in e-mails or links to the malware on Web sites that employees within the companies clicked on."

Mills reports, "NetWitness said it discovered more than 75 gigabytes worth of stolen data during routine analytic tasks as part of an evaluation of a client network on January 26. The cache of stolen data included 68,000 corporate login credentials, access to e-mail systems, online banking sites, Facebook, Yahoo, Hotmail, 2,000 SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate files and data on individuals."

"In addition to stealing specific data, Zeus can be used to search for and steal any file on the computer, download and execute programs and allow someone to remotely control the computer," Mills reports. "More than half of the compromised machines were also infected with peer-to-peer bot malware called Waledac, the company said. Nearly 200 countries were affected, with most of the infections found in Egypt, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United States."

Since you wrongly believe the only vulnerabilities are viruses, please explain how many viruses there are for Linux and why OS X is safer than Linux. Oh wait, there are no viruses for Linux, and I've been using it for 17 years, so that makes it the safest computing platform now.

It's not a real computing platform compared to Windows and OS X. It's not mainstream consumer-centric. It's an ongoing experiment. Linux has some nice technologies that can be incorporated in other operating systems, but desktop Linux is *still* junk. Ubuntu, OpenSUSE, PClinuxOS, you name it. Linux (non-desktop) is finally worth something in the consumer sphere thanks to Google.

 

[*LTD*]

double

 

[clevin]

Several hundred thousand to zero. "Only just has the edge"? How about a complete landslide.

thats false. apple claimed that there are 144,000 viruses on pc, but the source they cited indicate that 85% of those are malwares. and they are counting all windows versions. How many of those are viruses? and how many are affecting windows 7? Apple doesn't care to tell.

whats "several hundred thousand"? you can't cheapen the word that way.

as for mac, zero viruses?
http://www.intego.com/news/ism0901.asp 20,000 mac users at risk

consider there are only 5% of computers are macs, the percentage sure is high enough, isn't it?

It's not a real computing platform compared to Windows and OS X. It's not mainstream consumer-centric. It's an ongoing experiment. Linux has some nice technologies that can be incorporated in other operating systems, but desktop Linux is *still* junk. Ubuntu, OpenSUSE, PClinuxOS, you name it. Linux (non-desktop) is finally worth something in the consumer sphere thanks to Google.

not real computing platform? says the OSX (5%) to Linux (1%), how much better is OSX as a "real computing platform"?
thanks to google? who should thank who?

 

[*LTD*]

consider there are only 5% of computers are macs, the percentage sure is high enough, isn't it?

They've had almost 9 years. We're still waiting. Maybe in another 5 or 6?

So much for the risk.

 

[clevin]

They've had almost 9 years. We're still waiting. Maybe in another 5 or 6?

So much for the risk.

yeah, they had 9 years to study an OS with 2-5% market share and looks like gonna stay there forever, and pay no attention to that 96% marketshare OS that can make $$$ for them, you think they are tards?

and btw, "so much for the risks"? you really dont give a thoughts to those 20,000 mac users, do you?

 

[*LTD*]

not real computing platform? says the OSX (5%) to Linux (1%), how much better is OSX as a "real computing platform"?
thanks to google? who should thank who?

It isn't a messy, disorganized, third-rate open source software platform. You get what you pay for. No wonder it hasn't caught on. Meanwhile, a record number of consumers each year are paying in some cases nearly double for a more expensive, mostly closed platform from Apple.

Desktop Linux can't serve the average consumer's needs adequately in 2010. Maybe next year will be the "year of desktop Linux", like we've been hearing for the past 10 years. At least Linux is now moving into the mobile space, thanks to Google and other actual companies that have something at stake if they put out garbage. It takes top-down leadership and $$ to clean it up.

yeah, they had 9 years to study an OS with 2-5% market share and looks like gonna stay there forever, and pay no attention to that 96% marketshare OS that can make $$$ for them, you think they are tards?

and btw, "so much for the risks"? you really dont give a thoughts to those 20,000 mac users, do you?

Over 50 million OS X users. Still waiting. Can you write one? Can anyone? Please?? I'm getting bored with surfing the net carefree, no antivirus, no maintenance, etc.

Oh, and that's around 8% share US.

OS 9 had a far smaller share and more viruses! Figure that one out.

 

[belvdr]

It's not a real computing platform compared to Windows and OS X. It's not mainstream consumer-centric. It's an ongoing experiment. Linux has some nice technologies that can be incorporated in other operating systems, but desktop Linux is *still* junk. Ubuntu, OpenSUSE, PClinuxOS, you name it. Linux (non-desktop) is finally worth something in the consumer sphere thanks to Google.

Sure it is. I'd say it's no longer an experiment if Oracle is willing to develop on it as its primary platform. Oracle won't run under OS X, so it must not be a real computing platform.

To you, it may be junk. To me, it's a viable platform. It may not be polished, but when I need something to work, that's where I turn to. However, back to your point, that doesn't make OS X safer than Linux.

It isn't a messy, disorganized, third-rate open source software platform. You get what you pay for. No wonder it hasn't caught on. Meanwhile, a record number of consumers each year are paying in some cases nearly double for a more expensive, mostly closed platform from Apple.

Desktop Linux can't serve the average consumer's needs adequately in 2010. Maybe next year will be the "year of desktop Linux", like we've been hearing for the past 10 years. At least Linux is now moving into the mobile space, thanks to Google and other actual companies that have something at stake if they put out garbage. It takes top-down leadership and $$ to clean it up.

Excuse me, but Darwin is open source; the GUI is not. You might want to actually understand what you're writing before hitting "Submit Reply." So now that Darwin, the core, is open source, by LTD's own description, it's getting closer to third rate.

If all it took was "top-down leadership and $$" to fix an OS, then Microsoft wouldn't have issues either.

You are really blind to the world around you.

Over 50 million OS X users. Still waiting. Can you write one? Can anyone? Please?? I'm getting bored with surfing the net carefree, no antivirus, no maintenance, etc.

See, now you're just lying (the same way you lied when you said you spoke for every Mac user and some Mac users even denied your ability to do so). Your system does perform maintenance, and if you apply any update at all, you're maintaining it. What version of OS X are you running? I've been surfing carefree with no antivirus as well on my Windows PC.

 

[*LTD*]

It may not be polished

Exactly. Unfit for consumer use.

Darwin is Open Source, obviously, but it finds its greatest expression and significance in the marketplace as part of Apple closed-source model, that is, OS X.

Otherwise - Ubuntu, OpenSUSE, PClinuxOS, and all these fun, ongoing science fair projects are great for research and for providing a set of technologies that can be cannibalized by purveyors of commercial OSes. On its own, desktop Linux is still in its experimental stages and I don't count it among commercially viable operating systems in the consumer market, because they aren't.

But if you like Linux , then by all means, use it. Just know where it stands in the grand scheme of things: a grab bag of code to be potentially implemented by Apple and Microsoft. If it's any good, that is.

 

[mac2x]

[...]
as for mac, zero viruses?
http://www.intego.com/news/ism0901.asp 20,000 mac users at risk

consider there are only 5% of computers are macs, the percentage sure is high enough, isn't it?


[...]

1) That's a trojan, not a virus. Virus =/= trojan.

2) It came from pirated software. It's your own damn fault for getting it in the first place if you have it.

 

[belvdr]

Exactly. Unfit for consumer use.

Darwin is Open Source, obviously, but it finds its greatest expression and significance in the marketplace as part of Apple closed-source model, that is, OS X.

Otherwise - Ubuntu, OpenSUSE, PClinuxOS, and all these fun, ongoing science fair projects are great for research and for providing a set of technologies that can be cannibalized by purveyors of commercial OSes. On its own, desktop Linux is still in its experimental stages and I don't count it among commercially viable operating systems in the consumer market, because they aren't.

But if you like Linux , then by all means, use it. Just know where it stands in the grand scheme of things: a grab bag of code to be potentially implemented by Apple and Microsoft. If it's any good, that is.

Ignoring most of my comment, I see. It's expected.

By virtue of your own statement, OS X is a grab bag of code and a science fair project, since it has many many open source packages included without altercation.

That said, I believe Linux is a viable solution. Consider Oracle uses it as a primary development platform and Linux is in many devices around you.

Just admit it, you'll believe anything Apple tells you, regardless of proof.

1) That's a trojan, not a virus. Virus =/= trojan.

2) It came from pirated software. It's your own damn fault for getting it in the first place if you have it.

But that proves the point that no OS is 100% secure, as LTD would have you believe (because viruses are the only bad thing out there).

 

[mac2x]

[...]
But that proves the point that no OS is 100% secure, as LTD would have you believe (because viruses are the only bad thing out there).

Never said it proved otherwise. clevin just didn't get his facts completely straight.

LTD obviously has an agenda of some kind. I myself think OS X is the best operating system out there now for a variety of my own reasons, but in no way do I believe it is perfect or perfectly secure.

 

[MacDawg]

LTD obviously has an agenda of some kind.

Ya think?

 

[mac2x]

Ya think?

Yup!

 

[Consultant]

yeah, they had 9 years to study an OS with 2-5% market share and looks like gonna stay there forever, and pay no attention to that 96% marketshare OS that can make $$$ for them, you think they are tards?

and btw, "so much for the risks"? you really dont give a thoughts to those 20,000 mac users, do you?

Again, you can't be more wrong.

The small number of jailbroken iPhone had a worm already. OS 9 had fewer users than OSX, however it had viruses.

Giz Explains: Why OS X Shrugs Off Viruses Better Than Windows
http://i.gizmodo.com/5101337/giz-explains-why-os-x-shrugs-off-viruses-better-than-windows

The Unavoidable Malware Myth
http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2008/...-apple-wont-inherit-microsofts-malware-crown/

Market Share Myth
http://blogs.bellinghamherald.com/i...uter_virus_record_straig&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1

 

[Eidorian]

I still haven't seen the thread title changed...

 

[roadbloc]

Several hundred thousand to zero. "Only just has the edge"? How about a complete landslide. This is a total 180 from where Windows is. You need to put on a biohazard suit before you go anywhere near a Windows box!

Quit nattering on about virus's. AVG Free with Firefox 3.x on Windows and you cannot go wrong. Windows is now currently a very attractive, useful and stable OS. Microsoft have caught up, and fair play to them.

Just because Windows get's virus's and Mac doesn't, doesn't mean Windows is totally useless. Your argument is totally flawed.

And that Linux is junk is the biggest load of BS I have heard. I actually lol'ed.

 

[belvdr]

Never said it proved otherwise. clevin just didn't get his facts completely straight.

Yeah, that wasn't meant for you. I was using your post as more evidence to LTD that OS X is not 100% secure.

 

[*LTD*]

Yeah, that wasn't meant for you. I was using your post as more evidence to LTD that OS X is not 100% secure.

No OS is 100% secure. Even OS X has vulnerabilities that Apple patches. But OS X is the safest platform with the fewest headaches. And if someone wants to equate that safety with actual security, OS X's history would put them on firm ground. And why not. NINE YEARS running and still nothing.

Apropos, this made big news a few years ago:

http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/securi...ing-difficulties/0,130061744,339272051,00.htm

"so many problems for so little code."

Let's all be thankful for Unix.

 

[xIGmanIx]

i think the P2O would argue otherwise on OS being the safest platform, but again that depneds on your criteria.
Linky

No OS is 100% secure. Even OS X has vulnerabilities that Apple patches. But OS X is the safest platform with the fewest headaches. And if someone wants to equate that safety with actual security, OS X's history would put them on firm ground. And why not. NINE YEARS running and still nothing.

Apropos, this made big news a few years ago:

http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/securi...ing-difficulties/0,130061744,339272051,00.htm

"so many problems for so little code."

Let's all be thankful for Unix.

 

[mac2x]

Yeah, that wasn't meant for you. I was using your post as more evidence to LTD that OS X is not 100% secure.

Ah, I see. No problem!

 

[*LTD*]

i think the P2O would argue otherwise on OS being the safest platform, but again that depneds on your criteria.
Linky

What criteria, like physical access to a machine?

Hacking with physical contact of the machine is data mining. It's got nothing to do with security holes which involve hackers who do not know your password, and who are not directly in front of your machine. Wishing OS X were as prone to viruses as Windows doesn't make it true.

 

[mac2x]

i think the P2O would argue otherwise on OS being the safest platform, but again that depneds on your criteria.
Linky

How long will it take before people realize that those "pwn2own" things are complete and utter BS? It is in no way representative of real world conditions. If the hacker has physical access to your machine you are screwed anyway, so it proves nothing.

 

[xIGmanIx]

again, what risks are you wiling to accept for each platform? anytime physical access is granted, security is compromised. Criteria could mean your risk tolerance or acceptance.

What criteria, like physical access to a machine?

 

[Veri]

Could anyone please list two remote vulnerabilities, i.e. ones requiring no local user intervention, for each of Windows Vista, Windows 7 and OS X in their default configurations?

Obviously, do not include configurations with open file/printer sharing services (i.e. Microsoft's SMB and Apple's adoption of open source samba) which wouldn't be available by default on Windows or OS X.

Thanks.