Bonum Certa Men Certa

Microsoft Breaks the Web and Linux

Coffee time



Summary: How Microsoft uses 'security' to exclude Web sites and GNU Linux distributions

Microsoft does not comply with the Web. It does not adhere to standards, either. It rejects fine keys and prominent Web folks complain about it.



One writer explains that "[a]s of Oct. 9, 2012, longer key lengths are mandatory for all digital encryption certificates that touch Windows systems.

"That must make Microsoft some new foes.""This means that Internet Explorer will refuse to access websites that do not have RSA keys with minimum lengths of 1024 bits. You won't be able to exchange encrypted emails, run ActiveX controls or install applications on Windows. This isn't new, as Microsoft started making announcements about this well over a year ago."

Then there is this about Microsoft blocking Flash based on a private whitelist: "Yeah you read that right. I just received an interesting email from Brightcove (the video delivery guys) about issues with their Flash based solution and Windows 8 running the new Internet Explorer 10."

That must make Microsoft some new foes.

These things are actually less malicious than plugging proprietary software hooks into Linux to discourage use of Free and open source virtualisation even in GNU/Linux, not to mention UEFI, which Debian agrees is a very malicious move (there is no solution to it yet). Microsoft is knowingly complicating the process of installing GNU/Linux and ways exist for spinning it as benign or beneficial.

James Bottomley, who used to work on some Microsoft stuff on behalf of his former employer Novell (e.g. on Hyper-V), speaks of a new workaround that bloggers try to grasp.

Pogson states correctly that this should not be legal. Stallman agrees. To quote Pogson: "I don’t like any solution that depends on M$. If they can revoke that key, GNU/Linux falls down. They have messed up keys before either deliberately or through incompetence. Someone should sue M$ over this mess. It’s clearly anti-competitive. Also, this doesn’t look like a solution for servers."

Why should anyone be asking Microsoft for permission to use a computer which does not even have Windows?

"Pogson states correctly that this should not be legal."News about it sometimes misses the point, but Varghese writes: "Fifteen days from today, Windows 8 will go on sale; only hardware that is certified to work with this system will be able to boot it, with signed keys being used to determine whether a genuine system is being booted.

"This will put those who boot other operating systems at a disadvantage. Given this, the Linux Foundation has come up with a means of bypassing secure boot to enable users of open source operating systems to continue to boot on hardware certified for Windows 8."

He later criticises this, as he did several times in the past. It is an important issue that even conferences cover. Here is what one UEFI apologist wrote: "The plan for supporting UEFI Secure Boot in Fedora is still pretty much as originally planned, but it's dependent upon building a binary which has the Fedora key embedded, and then getting that binary signed by Microsoft. Easy enough for us to do, but not necessarily practical for smaller distributions. There's a few possible solutions for them."

Techrights' position on this is that UEFI is anticompetitive and antitrust should therefore be pursued. Let is all remind us that there is no reformed Microsoft, it is still the same unethical corporation.

Recent Techrights' Posts

Links 27/01/2026: Japan-China Feud Escalates Again, "Iran's Internet Blackout Persists"
Links for the day
The "Alicante Mafia" - Part XIII - Is EPO Vice-President Steve Rowan in Cahoots With the "Alicante Mafia"?
that deserves much media attention, political intervention, and condemnation
“Wikilaundering” Explained
"London PR firm rewrites Wikipedia for governments and billionaires"
 
Amandine Jambert (EDPB/CNIL/FSFE), motive for lying, trust in blockchain and encryption
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
The "Alicante Mafia" - Part XIV - The EPO Vice-President Steve Rowan and the Hidden Alicante Connection is a Big Deal
We'll soon take a closer look at Ernst
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Tuesday, January 27, 2026
IRC logs for Tuesday, January 27, 2026
Expect More XBox Layoffs Shortly
As expected
Online 'Gathering' Held Today to Organise Industrial Actions in EPO, Strikes Will be Starting Shortly
"Online Extraordinary General Meeting on Action Plan"
It's Not About What You Know, It's About Who You Know (and Stay Quiet About the Cocaine)
This is not an organisation that exists to ensure laws are followed
FOSDEM 2026: democracy panel: FSFE uses women as stooges, gerrymander
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Must Use Proprietary JavaScript to Submit Feedback to the European Commission About Moving From GAFAM to Free Software
Nevertheless, go tell them why Software Freedom would benefit Europe's defence and economy
Distortion of the Facts About Mass Layoffs at IBM
more layoffs are ahead
Gemini Links 27/01/2026: "Waiting Isn't a Waste", Posting from Lynx, and Bookmarks
Links for the day
Links 27/01/2026: "Oracle Debt and TikTok Transition Troubles Vex the Ellison Media Empire", Richard Stallman Quoted on Copyrights
Links for the day
Steven Field (Red Hat) Speaks of "Recent Layoff" (RA/Wave) in Red Hat
IBM really doesn't like it when people talk about "RAs"
A Week Ago We Contacted the EPO's Stephen (Steve) Rowan About Cocainegate
Tomorrow we'll write some more about Rowan
IBM Reports 'Results' Tomorrow, Expect More "RAs" (Mass Layoffs)
they use words like "efficiency", "optimisation", "AI", "pivot", "modernisation" and so on
Earlier This Month Microsoft Lunduke Said in Public It Was Good That Renee Good Was Murdered, Now He Mocks or Demonises People for Saying the US is Unsafe
Don't be easily conned by demagogues
Google News and "Linux" Slop
Why won't Google be interested in tackling this issue? Instead Google has been trying to participate in this issue.
IBM Kills Red Hat in the Darkness
What IBM does to Red Hat is malicious
IBM Red Hat's Goal Is Not Real Security (It Probably Never Was)
Spies and trolls are very malicious people and sometimes they're the same thing
With Absurd Lies About Slop, Which Lacks Intelligence or Financial Potential, GAFAM and IBM Will Twist Mass Layoffs as 'Efficiency Drive' or 'AI Pivot'
More layoffs are on the way
Animal Advocacy Works
All it takes is effort and determination
EPO Strike This Week
What has happened to Europe?
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Monday, January 26, 2026
IRC logs for Monday, January 26, 2026
For the EPO to Survive, António Campinos and the "Alicante Mafia" Must Fall on Their Sword
There are EPO insiders who are convinced Campinos too is (or was) a cocaine addict
Some Slopfarms and Some Real News Sites Cover Richard Stallman’s (RMS) Talk
If his message about Software Freedom spreads, then we're all better off
Gemini Links 26/01/2026: Pocket Power Pack, Batteries, and Breaks
Links for the day
"Microsoft Vista 11 Emergency Update" as Windows Fails to Boot (Again)
Microsoft is desperately trying to find some new business model as the debt soars
4 Hours Ago The Register MS Published Paid-for Spam About "AI" (Slop, Buzzwords)
"AI" mentioned 13 times in the page
IBM 'Results' Due Wednesday Evening, Expect Clues About Mass Layoffs
Don't expect IBM to say anything about "layoffs" or "RAs"
The Fall of the EPO (or the "Alicante Mafia" at EPO) Will be Due to This Reckless Lawyer Who Does Cocaine in Public While Speaking for the EPO
The longer European politicians (and media) turn a blind eye to this corruption, the worse it'll get
Why RMS is Scary to GAFAM 'Engineers' and the GAFAM Apologists (or Addicts)
especially because of his ideas and his way of life
Firefox 'Market Share' Down to All-Time Low in 2026, Adding to It User-Hostile 'Features' Only Worsens Things
What is the goal of Mozilla at this point?
Links 26/01/2026: Windows Back Doors, American Winter Storm, and Report Says Iran's "Protest Death Toll May Exceed 30,000"
Links for the day
Life Got Simpler and Therefore Also Healthier and Happier
Some people envy not wealth but happiness (which they're unable to attain, even with hoarding and accumulation)
Richard Stallman's Experiences With 'Cancel Brigades' Ought to Educate Linus Torvalds
Now they talk about "if Linus dies" scenarios
Links 26/01/2026: Financial Stress in German Farms and Germany Wants to Take Its Gold Reserves Out of the US
Links for the day
Gemini Links 26/01/2026: "Lack of Meaningful Things" and Getting Back to Programming
Links for the day
Strong Correlation Between the Slop Ponzi Scheme (or Bubble) and Major Disasters
BitCoin ruins the planet; so does slop
We Will Never Allow the "Alicante Mafia" to Hide "Cocainegate"
transparency typically scares malicious actors
Fewer Involuntary Interruptions This Year
This year we're doing much better
Prisons Are for Dangerous People Who Pose a Threat to the Public, Not People Who Inform the Public
At the end of the week EPO workers go on strike
Microsoft Loses Grip on Indian Ocean
Many countries, including in older allies of the US (such as Canada and the US), look for ways to get out of Microsoft dependence urgently
XBox Consoles Nearly Dead by Now, the 'XBox' (ex-Box) Brand Now Stands for Something Full of Slop, Spam, Filler, and Chaff
We're seeing the last day (maybe year) of "XBox"
The Great "AI" CON Explained by Dr. Andy Farnell
LLMs are basically advertisers of sorts
Links 26/01/2026: "Journalists Detained", in Germany "Unjustly Jailed Man Gets €1.3 Million Compensation"
Links for the day
Red Hat Quietly Going Extinct After Bluewashing in 2026
At this point it would be rather foolish to assume that IBM will let Red Hat just "do its own thing" or maintain its corporate culture, identity, projects etc.
The "Alicante Mafia" - Part XII - Kris De Neef and Roberta Romano-Götsch, Who Stepped in for the Cokehead, Have No Comment on His Cocaine Usage (and the EPO's Cover-up)
Sh-t floats to the top.
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Sunday, January 25, 2026
IRC logs for Sunday, January 25, 2026
Gemini Links 26/01/2026: Cold Perception, Software Patches in NixOS, and Sunk Cost Fallacy
Links for the day