The Archives of The Evil Empire1999 August | ||
31 August: Hits keep on coming against MS Some experts have have long argued that MS Windows was inherently insecure, but now a Microsoft manager has confirmed it. 30 August: Hotmail accounts exposed to all More than 50 million Hotmail accounts were left exposed in what may be the most serious -- and definitely the most widespread -- Net security breach yet. The net result: Hotmail account holders were in danger of having their email messages read -- as well as being impersonated in email -- until midday Monday. 26 August: 'A flaw worse than Melissa' A Windows bug permits an attacker to take control of an entire PC, and all the owner has to do is open an email message. The security hole, present in most copies of Windows 95 and all versions of Windows 98, would allow a malcontent to conceal malicious computer code in an email message or Web page that can surreptitiously modify files, reformat a hard drive, or execute any DOS command. 26 August: Swatting down the Win 98 bug A day after significant security issues in Windows and ActiveX were shown at a Washington conference, companies scrambled to patch and spin. A number of serious problems with Windows 98, and other problems with software shipped with Compaq and Hewlett-Packard computers, were demonstrated on Wednesday by Richard Smith of Pharlap Software at the 8th Usenix Security Symposium in Washington, DC. 26 August: Microsoft Admits NT Has Serious Security Flaw Microsoft has acknowledged a serious security flaw in NT when used with Service Pack 4 (SP4) -- probably the most commonly deployed version of its operating system. The flaw enables hackers to masquerade as trusted hosts to get access to secure systems, using so-called Predictable IP Sequence Numbering - something that was identified and fixed in Unix systems several years ago, according to Richard Thomas, head of Winterfold Datacomm (Guildford, UK), a networking consultancy. 26 August: Merced silicon happens: Linux runs, NT doesn't Reliable sources close to Intel's plans say that the company has produced first silicon samples of the processor in its fabrication plants. Intel has struggled to produce working silicon for some time, with various stops and starts, as reported here previously on numerous occasions. But while the news may be good for Intel, Microsoft is already gnashing its teeth. Because the Linux operating system is already running on the silicon while Microsoft's Win64 software won't. 19 August: Frontpage banned from SIPRNET FrontPage is banned from SIPRNET, (Secure Internet Protocol Router Network) the government's separate, secure network. The reason for the ban is that there may be huge security holes created by FrontPage code in HTML that makes it easier for hackers to break into and edit the existing HTML. 19 August: Hacker decodes Microsoft's MWA file format A hacker has managed to crack Microsoft's "secure" MWA music file format, which was set to replace MP3 for high-quality sound, as it provides extra copy protection. 13 August: Microsoft Says Worker Wrote Smear of Rival The Microsoft Corporation acknowledged Thursday that one of its programmers apparently masqueraded as an independent computer consultant earlier this week in an effort to discredit America Online's tactics in the companies' quarrel over instant messaging. Microsoft had reason to be red-faced about the incident Thursday -- first, because the company was unable to identify which employee had forged an e-mail message on Tuesday accusing America Online of irresponsible behavior, and second, because whoever did it sent the message to the one computer security expert who was most likely to find a way to trace it back to Microsoft. 11 August: IE 5.0 security hole exposes user names, passwords An apparent vulnerability in Microsoft Corp.'s Internet Explorer 5.0 browser exposes user names and passwords on FTP sites. The security hole, reported earlier today by BugNet at www.bugnet.com, appears to be more than the usual theoretical flaw caused by JavaScripts and Active X controls. This one impacts IE 5.0 users every time they access a password-protected FTP site. Every time IE 5.0 users access such a site, their user name and password are automatically revealed, according to BugNet. 6 August: Resistance is futile Microsoft is most dangerous when its back is to the wall. Such a warning to AOL's chief executive could easily come from Philippe Kahn, a mercurial French mathematician with a taste for both jazz and hyperbole who was uncharacteristically humbled by his experience with the Microsoft juggernaut. The founder and former CEO of software maker Borland International, later renamed Inprise, serves as a cautionary reminder for those who find themselves the target of Microsoft's technological and marketing prowess. 4 August: Sympathies for Microsoft dwindle Sympathies for Microsoft dwindle. Only 60% of users asked in a recent survey have an overall positive opinion on Microsoft. In 1998 and 1997 the numbers had been 67% and 72% respectively. 3 August: Brain drain continues - Maritz leaves Microsoft Paul Maritz, Number Three at Microsoft, will be leaving the company by the end of this year. Maritz is the sixth top executive to leave Microsoft this year. |
