Summary: Security news reveals high vulnerability levels in Vista 7, shoddy patching practices, more problems

AS we have shown all along, Vista 7 does nothing to improve security. We provided evidence in posts such as:

1. Cybercrime Rises and Vista 7 is Already Open to Hijackers
2. Vista 7: Broken Apart Before Arrival
3. Department of Homeland Security 'Poisoned' by Microsoft; Vista 7 is Open to Hijackers Again
4. Vista 7 Security “Cannot be Fixed. It's a Design Problem.”
5. Why Vista 7 Could be the Least Secure Operating System Ever
6. Journalists Suggest Banning Windows, Maybe Suing Microsoft Over DDoS Attacks
7. Vista 7 Vulnerable to Latest “Critical” Flaws
8. Vista 7 Seemingly Affected by Several More “Critical” Flaws This Month
9. Reason #1 to Avoid Vista 7: Insecurity
10. Vista 7 Left Hijackable Again (Almost a Monthly Recurrence)

Sophos has produced results from some tests which confirm that Vista 7 is as insecure as predecessors.

Out-of-the-box Windows 7 machines are still vulnerable to eight out of ten viruses, according to a test by security firm Sophos.

The experiment proves that the improved User Account Control (UAC) features built into Windows 7 are not enough and that additional anti-virus protection is still required. In fairness to Redmond, Microsoft crystal clear that anti-virus remains a necessary add-on to Windows PCs.

"80 percent of viruses love Windows 7" says another headline.

According to one leading security research lab, Windows 7 is vulnerable to an astonishing 8 out of 10 viruses it was exposed to during testing. But wait a minute, just how astonishing is this, really?

SJVN has this new article which shows that Microsoft cannot even patch properly. We mentioned this yesterday.

It wasn't just the server programs that got fouled up. Internet Explorer got hosed as well. One mistake scrambled Web page elements, while another causes a "Type Mismatch" script error on sites that use VBScript or a mix of VBScript and JavaScript. This particular foul-up nails every version of Internet Explorer from 5.01 to Windows 7's IE 8. Remember, I did tell you that Windows 7 didn't actually improve Windows' security.

Oh, and, this just in, Microsoft recently issued a fix to a Microsoft Office patch from August that could let someone take over your computer . My goodness, it's no wonder that some companies have staffers that do nothing but try to keep on top of Microsoft's patches, and re-patches, and re-re- well you get the idea.

As for me, I'd rather spend my time working with my Linux programs rather working on my Windows programs. At least with Linux when something is fixed, chances are, it's really fixed.

Windows botnets have Facebook blamed for being used as a messaging relay and The Register has a new report on Trojans versus banking. Some company tries making money out of it.

The fight against banking Trojans and phishing attacks has stepped up a gear with the launch of a new product on Wednesday targeted at securing online transactions.

The saddest thing to all of us who use the Internet or fund the banks is that Vista 7 will do nothing to resolve the botnet epidemic. Microsoft passes the costs to others (the externalities). ⬆

"Spam will be a thing of the past in two years’ time."

--Bill Gates, 2004