RSSMS Opens Vista Code to Security Firms
By Ed Oswald | Published October 16, 2006, 11:18 AM
Microsoft has ostensibly caved into the demands of security firms wanting better access to the core kernel code of Windows Vista, as the company said starting Monday it would make such data available. Vendors such as McAfee had earlier accused the company of locking them out of Vista.
McAfee and Symantec have publicly complained in recent weeks that Microsoft has locked down Vista to support its own entrant into the security space, Windows Live OneCare. However, neither company has filed legal actions.
The application programming interfaces (APIs) released Monday would allow for the security companies to stop Microsoft's own security alerts in favor of their own. The Redmond company says it will still continue to work on Windows Live OneCare and Windows Defender.
CEO Steve Ballmer told Reuters that the code is now available, and he felt it would satisfy the terms of the 2004 antitrust decision in the EU as well as additional concerns that have surfaced since then. The European Commission told reporters it was up to the companies themselves to say whether they are happy with the changes.
The APIs would be made available to security providers through a Web site the company has set up for them, Microsoft said.
Just a bad idea.
Here's a nice complaint story
trebuin dot com slash bbb dot html
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|Nice spam.
Here's a good b****-slap:
http://Trebuin.youarelame.com
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|64-bit Vista.
Now there is an oxymoron!
Did they find A functional driver??
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|Yah, your post has absolutily nothing to do with this news.
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|I also do believe this was for 64bit vista anyway, this was not going to be implemented in 32 bit so i don't know what the big deal was. No one is using 64bit xp or vista anytime soon. Support is non existent especially in the driver department.
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|I have no doubt this was a test to see what microsoft could get away with, now they are talking about giving customers a one time only chance to change the vista license to a new computer then your stuck. 400 dollars for a retail copy then they want another. This was bad enough with oem copies.
As for security I see antivirus companies already working with vista 32bit no problem. Avast is a good example. So what really is this about?
I really dont care for mcafee or symantec's control panel telling me if i need windows updates or whatever. Can i turn their's off? Prob not, but thats ok because you paid up the a** for their stuff and it sucks too. But they are making a heck of a lot of money woooo. Billions and billions, and Symantec has plans to double their revenue by 2008? How is that possible with microsoft locking down the market. The vista os along with one care live for 20 dollars for 3 computers is going to severely hurt, when you see that startup screen saying sign up for oen care live here is a free trial!
so yeah beginning in 2007 mcafee, trend micro and mcafee will be a shadow of their former self. As soon as xp support is halted and everyone has to upgrade to vista, well then those guys will be on life support.
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|Bad idea....
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|About time too! In principle this is more important than whether you love or hate McAfee and Symantec. (And I'm no big fan of McAfee or Symantec either).
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|Wow, access to the kernel to 3rd party companies... oh yeah, stroke of genius. No individual in either of those companies will leak that information! No sir! This could spawn a new generation of virus. Way to suck.
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|Where does it say anything in the above article about MS giving *anyone* access to the Windows Kernel?
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|Hmm, I may have started that one. I think they misconstrued 'around'.
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|"Microsoft has ostensibly caved into the demands of security firms wanting better access to the core kernel code of Windows Vista, as the company said starting Monday it would make such data available."
I believe it says security firms, not "anyone"... still, it's a stupid idea and one that Linux and Mac learned a long time ago.
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|lmao...
That was funny.
You do realize you just claimed Linux has a closed kernel, right?
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|What a travesty of a decision. Opening the kernel of the OS to the likes of McAfee and Symantec is like having Charles Manson to the family BBQ.
This is a decision of unprecedented stupidity from a security perspective. NO secure OS (or OS pretending to be secure) should allow ANY vendor access to the kernel - period.
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|I apologize if I read the article wrong, but what the hell are you talking about?
I hate Symantec as much as the next guy, but this has nothing to do with the kernel.
It's about access to the API's involved in producing, intercepting, or modifying the security warnings generated by MS Security Center.
While I think it's a bad idea, it's certainly not as bad as giving them full access to the kernel.
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|that's the way i read it as well.
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|??? so your saying we should close the linux kernel for saftey reasons?
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|if you don't want symantec to be in your pc, don't install anything from them. simple enough for a maggot to understand.
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|I would say the big issue here is the potential that this info could possibly get leaked or stolen from one of these companies.
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|I know. It's the suckers that install it because it's the most well known company.
Having to deal with these people when their computer is sluggish and unresponsive is what is annoying.
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|oh no not symantec, the never have problems. *cough* *cough*
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|not a good change ...
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|This article brings it into perspective: http://www.microsoft.com...-13-06VistaRelease.mspx
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|Oh great, Symantec poking around millions of people's Kernels again.
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|yuk.. i never want a Symantec something on my computer!
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|Hmm, maybe I should have mentioned it was sarcasm.
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|you forgot the "and reporting back to daddy symantec" part.
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