Microsoft Adopts Malware Techniques to Advance .NET

Dr. Roy Schestowitz

2009-02-03 14:38:04 UTC
Modified: 2009-02-03 14:38:04 UTC

LAST MONTH we very briefly mentioned what Apple had done to Mozilla/Firefox. It not only pretended that Firefox would die but it also used dirty techniques to push its non-Free software through the update mechanism for iTunes. This got Apple a lot of bad press and it relented.

Microsoft is not only doing the same thing. It's doing something far more cheeky. It's not only pushing unwanted (uncalled for) software into people's desktops but it also injects that into a Free software competitor, namely Firefox, and to an extent also using its update mechanism to install Microsoft software that's an impediment to cross-platform. Slashdot has a decent short overview of this widely-reported new situation.

While doing a weekly scrub of my Windows systems, which includes checking for driver updates and running virus scans, I found Firefox notifying me of a new add-on. It's labelled 'Microsoft .NET Framework Assistant,' and it 'Adds ClickOnce support and the ability to report installed .NET versions to the web server.' The add-on could not be uninstalled in the usual way. A little Net searching turned up a number of sites offering advice on getting rid of the unrequested add-on.

This not only violates trust and fairness; it's also a serious breach that can harm security. Speaking of which, Conficker keeps getting worse and worse, but the press hardly covers it anymore [1, 2].

The Microsoft RPC worm, known by many as Conficker/Downadup, has multiplied across corporate networks infecting an estimated 10 million machines. Though the damage has been minimal, the worst is yet to come, said researchers.

Conficker may have already killed people and now comes a formal report labeling this a "substantive failure."

A worm attack that forced three London hospitals to shut down their computer networks late last year was entirely avoidable and represented a major failing by the organizations' IT staff, according to an independent review of the incident.

Where life and death are at stake 24 hours a day, look what has happened because of Microsoft Windows viruses.

The PCs at St. Bartholomew's, the Royal London Hospital and The London Chest Hospital were infected with Mytob, a mass-mailing worm also known as MyDoom. Emergency patients were temporarily diverted to other facilities, but officials said no personal data was lost.

This is not a joke, right? According to the report, "officials said no personal data was lost." Were lives lost? Where is the liability when people die? How can this damage be measured?

Here is another new report: Data theft 'cost a trillion US dollars'

INSECURITY outfit McAfee has told the World Economic Forum that data theft cost the world a trillion US dollars and if more work was not done to buy its products the figure could get worse.

Well, it figures. When almost 1 in 2 Windows PCs is a zombie, then the notion of "data theft" is like the notion of possession theft in a city where only half the buildings have doors. ⬆

"Our products just aren't engineered for security."

--Brian Valentine, Microsoft executive

Open gate
In a world without windows and gates, who
needs to worry about breaches?

Comments

ZiggyFish

2009-02-03 23:14:24

It very interesting how the botnet controllers have not used these botnets to find exploits in encryption algorithms.
Roy Schestowitz

2009-02-03 23:51:21

If they already control so many PCs (and Secunia says 99% of Windows PCs are open to hijacking at all times), why even capture PCs at line/protocol level? It's like breaking down a door when there's an open window(s).
Charles Norrie

2009-02-04 12:10:38

Instead of telling people how bad and even wicked Microsoft is, why not tell them how easy it is to install and use Linux systems, especially Ubuntu?
Homer

2009-02-04 13:26:11

Because Roy and his chums feel elevated by their belief that everyone else is either clueless or evil.
Jose_X

2009-02-04 13:58:58

[Charles Norrie] >> Instead of telling people how bad and even wicked Microsoft is, why not tell them how easy it is to install and use Linux systems, especially Ubuntu?

You must be joking.. right?

That's like saying we should say how good are the shoes made by AAA Shoes Boutique, while failing to say anything about what a rotten SOB is Al Capone and his band of thugs that have been extorting anyone seen within a block of AAA Shoes Boutique.

Dropping Microsoft, whether you go to Linux or to something else, is a plenty wonderful message to get out.

Of course, it doesn't help the Linux installation process that Microsoft keeps breaking the law throwing hurdles in front of Linux' path through various levers deriving from their monopolies.

["Homer"] >> Because Roy and his chums feel elevated by their belief that everyone else is either clueless or evil.

It's so easy to spew garbage from the mouth when such garbage need not be backed by any evidence, so please support your comments if you don't want to look foolish.. especially in light of all the evidence to the contrary.

I take it you aren't the same "[H]omer" that mans the irc channel on Freenode #boycottnovell. That guy seems a little more honest than you.
Charles Norrie

2009-02-04 14:05:25

Dear Jose, I think we should try to balance the good news message about Linux with out trenchant statements on the bad guys! That's all
Jose_X

2009-02-04 14:09:11

>> Dear Jose, I think we should try to balance the good news message about Linux with out trenchant statements on the bad guys! That’s all

That's why I visit Linux Today as well as boycottnovell. The url should tip you off on the subject matter. Clearly the matter discussed on boycottnovell is very important.
Roy Schestowitz

2009-02-04 14:10:17

"Homer" is not "[H]omer" or "Slated".

"Homer" seems likely to be an OpenSUSE guy.
Jose_X

2009-02-04 14:13:04

Charles, boycottnovell actually does include lots of news links to Linux. Even if it didn't, I don't really see your point. It's not like if a browser can't go to more than one Linux website on the same day. Switch your browser, btw, if you are encountering that limitation.
Roy Schestowitz

2009-02-04 14:16:03

Pro-FOSS/Linux articles by far outweigh analyses and criticisms, but we cover them daily in the form of links with snippets.

Attacks on FOSS are a higher priority because they are a greater barrier to adoption than many other factors combined.
Charles Norrie

2009-02-04 14:20:57

Dear Roy,

Then why do I find that the average news article about Conficker if it says 'if you have a Linux sytstem, you are not affected' and then goes on to tell you how to use an anti-viral ptach or program to avoid that infection and doesn't give you precise help to put Linux on your compuer (of whatever variety!)

Charles
Brian Assaf

2009-02-05 08:54:41

I'd like to field this question.

Installation instructions for GNU/Linux and advocacy belongs in a separate article than a Windows worm and patch.

If a Windows user wants to switch OS's based on viruses/malware/security (in that case there would be very few users still on Windows) it would make sense to provide that as an obvious solution.

But really, why not post a link to the articles in question?

Maybe the author isn't familiar with Linux, but wanted to be accurate and not imply it effects all PCs, just PC's with Windows installed.

Perhaps the mere mention of Linux will have someone use Google (which runs on that very thing) and google "Linux"

If the article provides comments, such as this one, why not just mention it.

"I use Ubuntu Linux, go to ubuntu.com" The site itself has a tour, and simple overview.

I don't think a paragraph in an article about another OS entirely would be satisfactory in the least.

Not only that, many Linux distros can be burned to disc or copied to USB and booted from. Even without an install, so it really is necessary to point someone to a detailed and focused article on that.

P.S. I would prefer honestly to never insult Windows or Microsoft products in general. But, MS has resorted to dirty tactics, and with the current lock-in and social inertia, sometimes you just have to point out just how it is, so that some will say:

"Hey, why am I running this crap, I should check out an alternative".

I assure you there are happy Windows users with hijacked boxes, filled with malware, cracked software, DRM (i.e. WGA or Vista in general) just unaware of it. That may just be the push to get him or her to try something that isn't frankly, an insulting OS.
Roy Schestowitz

2009-02-05 09:35:39

You're right. Someone raised a similar point before. Should we maybe add a banner somewhere in all pages... something that says "get GNU/Linux"?
Jose_X

2009-02-05 13:13:03

>> something that says “get GNU/Linux”?

It might be more fitting to recommend actual branded distros as well.. of course, distros whose patronage would be a positive to the wider Linux community (vs say to Microsoft).

A distro rotation could be used, perhaps alongside the ads. Maybe even offer limited free ad space to distros where they can put their own messages. And I'm not insinuating that generic GNU/Linux should not be in the mix.

Boycottnovell could have its own distro. I know I have brought this up before (on irc), but I haven't yet gotten myself into a position to get back to technical work.
Roy Schestowitz

2009-02-05 13:15:35

Shane has already created SueMe Linux.
Jose_X

2009-02-05 13:55:32

Yes, I think Shane mentioned recently something along those lines.

Where is the download button or torrent? What features does it have? How was it put together? I'm interested.
Jose_X

2009-02-05 13:57:40

Thanks. Thanks a lot... I should have clicked before assuming you were a decent human being with tact. Thanks a lot.

:-)
Roy Schestowitz

2009-02-05 14:23:45

The main post is here, but the domain name was cyber-jacked.
Shane Coyle

2009-02-05 14:25:23

SueMe had died, I don't remember what it was based upon - probably Slackware or Gentoo - the main point of the site was it was 'Disclosing your Balance Sheet Liabilities', and prominently displayed Microsoft's FUD claims regarding the number of their patents infringed by GNU/Linux systems right on the frontpage.

That being said, it was fully functional, even if patent encumbered ;^ ). The domain was jettisoned during a financial crisis, (we had kept all of the boycott____ names, but I couldn't afford 'em all...)

If there really is a desire, we could certainly spin something new up.
Brian Assaf

2009-02-05 19:58:35

Go for it Roy.

I stumbled upon this site in a blog comment somewhere:

http://www.getgnulinux.org/

Looks very nice, and is quite simple to peruse. Recommends Ubuntu, Fedora, and gnewsense. I figure your site would not want to advocate SUSE. ;)

Also, groklaw has a "switch to Linux" link on the side of the main page.

http://www.groklaw.net/staticpages/index.php?page=2006061302494935

It may indeed be worth while for boycottnovell to offer something like that.
Roy Schestowitz

2009-02-05 21:43:01

@Brian,

Thanks. Yes, I linked to http://www.getgnulinux.org/ earlier on in a post and earlier today I also thought about doing what Groklaw did, probably in our Wiki.

Microsoft Adopts Malware Techniques to Advance .NET

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