Windows Vista to bankrupt many spyware outfits

[NathanE]

I knew this already but it's nice to see the wider technology media are beginning to pick up on some positive sides to Vista recently:

http://news.com.com/2100-1029_3-6050733.html?part=rss&tag=6050733&subj=news

"The spyware threat will definitely shrink or shrivel" as Vista gets adopted, said John Pescatore, an analyst with Gartner. "We got a handle on spam. It still gets through, but it is such a small percentage now, we know how to deal with what gets through. That same thing will happen to spyware. It will be under control."

Every new version of Windows offers some security improvements, but Vista more so, said Rob Enderle, an analyst with the Enderle Group. "Vista, because it was pretty much conceived during the toughest times for Microsoft with regards to malicious software, has the most protection in it compared to any of their platforms," he said.

 

[NathanE]

My opinion is that OneCare/Windows Defender will ceast to exist in about 18 months time. I believe that once Vista is "out there" per se, Microsoft will have realised they've "overkilled" the malware problem. Anti-spyware products just won't be needed in the same numbers that they are today because the amount of malware prevention in Vista is greatly increased. For instance, only signed code can be placed into the various Registry "auto-start" (and other) locations that malware always rely on. IE7's "Protected Mode" runs the browser in what is effectively a sandbox that seperates it from the rest of the system. So it could have more holes than swiss cheese (it won't) and still not compromise security. IE will go from being the "least secure" to "most" secure browser, literally, over night.

 

[NathanE]

I'd like to believe this is true. Undoubtedly though there'll be something inserted by MS to sell us things based on our surfing/watching/listening habits, make sure we're not using naughty pirate versions of windows, make sure we're upgrading our machines without paying them more money etc. that someone will latch onto and exploit.

So Microsoft is a spyware vendor now are they? News to me That load of drivel is certainly not "undoubtable". I can doubt it very easily.

 

[NathanE]

Further research has been done by some organisation and they concluded that Vista is going to "significantly shrink the aftermarket for antispyware and desktop firewalls".

 

[NathanE]

I'd be impressed when MS introduces an O/S that doesn't allow viruses to exist.

So would I. But as of yet nobody has managed it

 

[NathanE]

something tells me it aint gonna be quite as secure as they tell you

Well obviously not, because it's a desktop OS with an exceptionally large computer illiterate user base. As with any OS, the user sitting at the desk is always going to be the weakest link. But assuming the security features Microsoft has instilled into Vista aren't delibrately or inadvertantly disabled then it will perform very well.