12.09.15
GNU/Linux Hosted by Microsoft Means Lock-in, Ransom, and Back Doors
Summary: News of interest to anyone who seriously considers Microsoft a suitable host for GNU/Linux instances
THE Linux Foundation no longer shocks us when it decides to become even more financially dependent on Microsoft. We have written many articles on this subject — articles in which we explained many of the reasons why this was a bad idea. Our focus these days is software patents, not Microsoft’s subversive attacks on Linux. This is why we don’t want to compose any more long articles on the subject of today’s Linux Foundation announcement, however disturbing it may be. The arguments made back in the days (see the 10 links below) are still valid and applicable today.
To remind people of what it means to host with Microsoft, consider this new article titled “Microsoft begins migrating Office 365 SMB customers to new plans”.
“Proof that once Microsoft can ransom users’ data,” a reader of ours called it, “they can pull the rug out from under them at any future date without notice.”
The same would inevitably go for people who decided to host GNU/Linux with Microsoft. Control is lost and Microsoft’s price-gouging practices are like no other company’s practices. We already highlighted other malicious business plans Microsoft would subject clients to, such as in-place Linux-to-Windows migrations with financial incentives. Watch what Microsoft is doing to Android right now.
One must also bear in mind that Microsoft’s software is designed for remote control by people who are in power, notably the NSA. Consider this new article which shows just how deep this goes:
It’s nearly 2016, and Windows DNS servers can be pwned remotely
Microsoft is closing out the year with a fix for 71 security vulnerabilities in Windows Server, client-side Windows, Office, Internet Explorer, and Edge.
Among the patches are two vulnerabilities that are already being exploited in the wild for elevation of privilege and remote code execution.
Put in very simple terms, DNS, which can serve as a gateway to GNU/Linux-based sites, can be remotely controlled through vulnerabilities which Microsoft didn’t bother addressing until they were already exploited by players other than the NSA et al.
There are many old articles which come to mind in light of today’s mistake from the Linux Foundation. Among them:
- Microsoft Gradually Embraces, Extends, Extinguishes Linux Foundation as a Foundation of GNU/Linux
- Only Months After Microsoft’s Ramji Enters the Linux Foundation Microsoft Gradually Joins Him
- Message to LinuxCon Regarding Microsoft: “It is Necessary to Get Behind Someone in Order to Stab Them in the Back.” -Sir Humphrey Appleby
- More People With Microsoft Roots Enter the Linux Foundation, Occupying Top Positions
- They ‘R’ Coming: More Microsoft Money for the Linux Foundation
- Microsoft is Interjecting Itself Into GNU/Linux and Free Software News, Even Events and Foundations
- The ‘Microsoft Loves Linux’ Baloney is Still Being Floated in the Media While Microsoft Attacks Linux With Patents, New Lawsuits Reported
- Microsoft is Trying to Subsume GNU/Linux and Free/Libre Software
- The Linux Foundation Appoints Former Microsoft Manager for Management of OpenDaylight
- When ‘Former’ Microsoft Influence Lands in Free/Open Source Software
We will probably refrain, as matter of principle in fact, from any further comments regarding the Linux Foundation, at least for the time being (we have a lot more to say). Not because it’s unimportant but because it wouldn’t be our top priority at this point in time…
We have a lot to say about the EPO these days and it is generally more urgent (people’s careers or lives are at stake). We write about it as quickly as we receive new material in order to cope or catch up with the growing backlog. We have reached a critical point and tomorrow there will be massive protests in Munich again. █
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