In a world where those of us in IT are expected to provide bullet-proof client security solutions in order to make basic Internet activities like financial transactions and sharing of personal information safe, one of the more critical layers of Internet security is the client security software suite. An announcement made Monday has the potential to shake things up in this critical technology space -- as it raises questions about what the future of safe Internet client security will be.
Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) said it will stop selling its OneCare suite in mid-2009 and, about the same time, will start offering a new security suite for its "client" operating systems (Windows XP/Vista/7) to the masses -- for free. It's code named "Morro" (for now, anyhow), and you'll be able to download it once it’s available.
At least publicly, Microsoft has switched gears quite suddenly here. Its OneCare for Servers and other offerings will likely have to be chopped as a result. But I have to say I like what's happening for its industry-shakeup potential.
Understand that this represents a substantial move in the client security space: This big company has just changed the rules of the game substantially. The client security software market is huge, and while there are a few smaller companies that provide free versions of their anti-virus software, the biggest players sell theirs -- and make a lot of money in the process.
It will be interesting to see how well Microsoft's new offering addresses the market's needs, and what impact the move to free software will have on the other companies competing in the space. I imagine there will always be a market for selling "more capable, better featured" software, but you still have to wonder whether antitrust questions will arise.
Something needs to change in the client security software market, and perhaps this will be the impetus. The fact is that the anti-virus and anti-malware software tools on the market do a pretty poor job of protecting computers from the newest and most malicious software. There's a substantial amount of badware out there infecting computers every day that the current tools simply can't recognize, so it passes right on through the security checks, unblocked and unchallenged. In other words, you can have the latest and greatest AV/AM software installed and running, and still get infected.
What the marketplace really needs is a whole new approach, a proactive one that can recognize malware in its various and polymorphic packages. Some security "protection" packages actually rely on letting the malware install and run, and watching to see if it does anything bad. That doesn't do much good in a world where I need to stop the infection in the first place. The technology exists out there to accurately recognize packed and morph-packaged malware practically every single time without having to let the malware install or run. I know, I've seen it. Feel free to call or email me if you're a security company that wants to know more.
At any rate, it will be quite interesting to see where Microsoft goes with this. Certainly a big market player like Microsoft has the ability to provide new security capabilities to the software products we use in huge volume all across the Internet, and it can potentially have an important and positive impact on the security landscape. Microsoft is one of the few companies that has the capability to create one strong solution, allowing all of us to benefit from that work. Identity and information theft via malicious software, along with distributed crime enabled by bot networks and the like, are problems that must be solved if we are to make the Internet and networked computers safer and ensure better protection for online information. And that fact needs to be top of mind when deciding what to do, as well as how and where to do it.
Fingers crossed for this client software giveaway.
— Greg Hughes, independent IT security consultant and blogger
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Actually, my media player has wireless. I have an Archos 604 Wifi (not the latest and greatest from Archos mind you) and it has wifi capabilities. Not only can I connect to wireless networks (WPA2, yes.), but I can set up the device as a wireless file server for PCs to connect to. While I've never done anything malicious (honest!!) I have set it up in HotSpot areas to see if anyone is willing to connect. A harmless text file with the filename "MyPrivateInfo.txt" sits waiting. The contents....
"SHAME ON YOU..."
It's pretty easy to figure out the culprit at that moment. They are sheepishly looking around. I just wink. ;)
I would agree that there is a profit motive behind such a move from Microsoft. I also have very little trust in their ability to come through in the security arena.
No one really knows what to expect. Googling 'Microsoft Morro' brings up two entries at the top:
Granted I didn't go to each link to see what was truly said, but I think the point is clear. We're in waiting mode with Microsoft wondering (some hoping) whether the solution will be the Excalibur of client security.
Unless the solution can help to alter the way users use the computer and can teach them about malware and how their activities are lending to the exposure of malware, I have my doubts.
First things first; Anti-virus software that is continually updated for new threats (in perpetuity) and that comes preinstalled on all Windows systems can only be good. How many of you have been to a relative's house and been asked to do a little computer help? And how many of those malware stricken systems had anti-virus software that came with the machine but had a 3 month eval that expired a year ago? "It has anti-virus software on it." This product is not aimed at coporations or computer enthusiasts. This product is aimed at the group of people who know nothing about securing their PC's and unless it is a bigger failure than Windows ME, it will be a great product for those people and for the internet in general.
My biggst concern though is that Symantec and McAfee will never stand for a bundled product. They'll sue MS for unfair business practices and abuse of monopoly power (they'll do it in Europe where they're sure to have a sympathtic ear) and force MS to offer it as a seperate product. If/when that happens the advantage will be gone because the people who need it the most won't bother to go get it, even if it's free.
So... I think we have to really wait and see on this one and hope that it works out well for those who need it the most.
Who would have thought... Microsoft to come in and save the security world! for free!
Do companies that currently offer their products for free, like AVG, etc, are counting on people upgrading their products once they get to know it or what is their business model?
I'd be a little skeptical about Microsoft's offering.
Price for top six antivirus software varies between 30 and 50 dollars. One of the most popular product Kaspersky Internet Security 7 received an award from the British magazine PC Pro and also won a place in its "A List”. Revenues of Kaspersky Lab in 2007 year were 85.3 million dollars which was 76% increase to compare with 2006. Total net revenues of McAfee for the 2007 were 1,308.2 million dollars.Are these sharks of the Internet security ocean ready to leave the business space? And more deep question: is Microsoft free product ready to provide the same quality Internet defense as top 6 do? It seems to me, that most part of customers will continue to use software of companies whose authority in the field of Internet security has been established even if Microsoft antivirus is competitive or even better.
already the US Army has said: everyone must stop using uSB devices
will your employer benext?
when are we going to come up with the guts to stop the criminals from stealing from us like this? does anyone want to give up USB devices? are we going to let these thugs continue like this?
the USB device may have an autorun file on it, and if it does, when that runs it should run in RING 3 -- as a user program -- just like your browser -- and in that mode it should not be able to infect your system.
Security starts by SIEZING ABSOLUTE CONTROL of the I/O system and of memory management. how come these devices are getting around security? are we still running DOS computers that simply do not have any security at all?
Boot Device
You should have set the BIOS in your computer to boot ONLY from your primary hard drive partition. this is for safety reasons: if you have to re-boot and you still have a USB thumb-drive inserted you do not want you system to try to boot from that USB stick. we learned that lesson the had way back in 1987 when we had to exterminate STONED, Falling Letters, et.al.
I recommend to the readers Peter Szor's book Virus Research and Defense
on page 19
"Integrity checker programs were Cohen's favorite defense and my own in the early 90's/ However it is easy to see that the integrity checker would be challenged by compaanion viruses unless the integrity checker also alerted the user about any new application on the system. Cohen's own system properly performed this.* Unfortunatly the general public does not like to be bothered each time a new program is introduced on their systems, but Cohen's approach is definitely the safest to use."
Before we proceed the reader would do well to revew the author's (Peter Szor) credentials. We are not dealing with the comments of a novice here.
Computer Security is like a balloon: the tinyiest penetration and POP! You are compromised. After that your computer has a new master.
This bears some thought. The anti-virus defense must be 100% air tight.
How could this be possible?
To evaluate this issue we need to consider part of the quote (above) :
"Unfortunatly the general public does not like to be bothered each time a new program is introduced on their systems"
I don't think I can agree with Peter on that point. That is a position that marketing people are pushing. I think the public would prefer that their privacy was secure. I agree there are people who would like to update everybody's computer so that they can put all those computers to their own use. But I really don't think the general public agrees with this. I think the general public would prefer that we 'come clean' on the issue: what is required to get security. Tell us what we need to do and we'll do it.
It doesn't have to be all that hard: we just need to restrict computer updates to authorized programming only using digital certificates. The registry is a good place for a software inventory, and the setup.exe is a good candidate to be the only approved software update tool.
*I have worked with an integrity checker myself. The one I used was on DOS systems: Integrity Master, by Wolfgang Stiller. I agree with Szor and his reference ( Cohen ) : integrity checking is the way to check to be sure you do not have anything in your computer that shouldn't be there.
I'll summarize my experience with Wolfgang Stiller's Integrity Master for you in the next post.
Please realize that I am coming at this from a purely skeptical point of view. But I don't trust the "good folks" in Redmond any further than I can throw a Buick (you younger kids might not know that a Buick is a class of Car).
MS doesn't do anything for free. Everything (and I mean everything) they do is with an eye toward profit. If not on the front end (sales), they will make their money on the back end (support). If not in the software, they will charge for documentation.
Microsoft has done such an abysmal job with security to this point, I wouldn't trust them to secure a rusty dishwasher to an abandoned lot if I gave them the chain and lock and told them how to do it.
I am sorry for the harsh sound of this post, but I just don't trust M$ not one little bit.
Hi Asish, RE: “I don't know why but this for me feels like another Marketing Stunt from the folks at Redmond. Either that or it will be like the Anti-whatever tools that are already incorporated in XP and Vista(They come in through Windows Update practically every month),are they any use?”If you’re referring to the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool, yes, they are monthly releases, but only scan for certain things. See mid page on: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=890830
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