Does Microsoft deserve the MSBlast worm?

ArcticFox · August 15th, 2003, 06:00 AM

I thought the title would spark some contraversy. Maybe I should post this in the Unix forums instead. But seriously, I think Microsoft had it coming. It was only a matter of time before some super-w00t flopped down at his computer and started writing a worm that spread like wildfire and brought down Microsofts site. The company does all sorts of things to make sure their flow of cash keeps coming in, and other OS's that are not only better, but free, don't interfere with the master plan.

My opinion:
Had the coder been better at his job, he would have implanted it in web pages with enticing names or blasted spam across the web, and had the worm wait silently until D-Day, until which the worm would do it's business. I myself was infected with a virus/worm which turned out to be this one, and the familiar error message came up that said "Shutdown has been initiated by NTAUTHORITY/SYSTEM... bla bla blah..." and it would power down my PC. My freinds brother got it too, and it would come up every time he got online. Two reinstalls of Windows later, he was back up and running.

Although the hacker clearly knew what he was doing, and I even admire his skill at coding (sick), a worm like this should not be able to spread so rapidly. I'm on a Linux-powered laptop right now that doesn't even have Windows on it, and no matter how hard to learn and how many times I have to boot up without my 56k modem or audio working, I still love it because I know viruses are nearly nonexistant, it's incredibly secure from the start, and the configuration options are endless. It comes with tons of free software, more than one tool for many jobs (like web browsing and office work), and it's not backed by one corporation that clearly is out for dollars. The user base is built from the ground on programmers, with general users on the middle, and people with a specific purpose in mind on the top. Theirs no Chapter 11 to worry about, and 100% of the people with broadband out their can get it for free. You can toss it around school and work without being shady, and the license agreement for software basically says "You may copy, reverse-engineer, disassemble, and otherwise mutilate the program to your liking because your the user and we understand that the people here at Mandrake Corporation can't satisfy everyones needs..."

Can you envision that snippet of text in a Microsoft product? I think not. Would Mandrake or Red Hat ever sue you for copying their software? No, even though they sink their livlihoods into creating a better version of their flagship for you, the end-user, who is barred from doing anything but using it the way it was intended on one computer with other, lesser operating systems *cough*.

Everyone knows the reason that Billy Gates was so successful. He created a product that everyone could learn, for a product that he knew would eventually become not just a box, but a tool in everyone's lives. When you pick up a cell phone, a Game Boy, or touch the GPS' screen in your Lincoln Navigator, your using a computer in the way "Bill And Steve" (Jobs) wanted you to use it. Not just a box with another box next to it and a little rodent with a cord connected to a rectangle with buttons, but an integral part of your lifestyle.

Now people hate him, because he has gone too far.

/Rant

Mickwish · August 15th, 2003, 06:07 AM

I don't think you can say they deserve it. After all, they did create a patch last month. IS it all their fault not many patched with it?

It's a bit like saying, "the US had it coming from terrorists", IMO. Just because they refused to bow to terrorists demands.

Just because M$ created the product, and it has flaws, doesn't mean they should be targeted. Should we DDOS Ford or GM every time the produce a car with a defect?

I hope not.

So, I voted no. Flame me at will.

Cheers
Mick

ArcticFox · August 15th, 2003, 06:10 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mickwish
I don't think you can say they deserve

OK, so your right about not exactly deserving it. But everyone (should have) knew they had it coming. Your analogy of the terrorist attacks is a good one, and I don't disagree that when you are the largest, most powerful nation or, in this case, company around, you are going to have people hate you. Everyone wants to be on the top, and in control. Why do you think communism fails so many times? It's because the citizens don't have a say, and one person rules all.

Siliconjunkie · August 15th, 2003, 06:11 AM

I am going to side with Mick here. No company deserves to be attacked. Even if you don't like their product. Let their product stand on its own merits. If something else better comes along, it will show, they will improve or go away.

ArcticFox · August 15th, 2003, 06:17 AM

I'm not saying it's right for someone to write a worm that attacks a company. It's wrong. But stuff like this happens, just not on such a grand scale. Would I have done anything remotely similar. No. Do I really like Microsoft? No. Just because you don't like someone doesn't mean you have to disable them and their power. Do you light your boss's house on fire because their not your favourite person? I hope not. But it's a case of Microsoft just wanting more money all the time, and people not liking it. One person just went through with his dislikes.

Siliconjunkie · August 15th, 2003, 06:20 AM

Never accused you of endorsing it, just saying I sided with Mick. The only thing I see you being guilty of is basically being lazy, not patching and getting infected thereby helping whomever (unknowingly).

Mickwish · August 15th, 2003, 06:21 AM

The question was: do they deserve it.

I don't really like M$'s business practices, either. But they don't deserve cyber-terrorism, which is what the worm is. No company does, no matter how bad.

Cheers
Mick

ArcticFox · August 15th, 2003, 06:27 AM

I wasn't aware of the worm before it came on the news. I was infected a long time ago, so I thought that this was a new worm that came about again, or a re-coding of an old one, so I didn't get the patch. I always have my PC updated through Windows Update and things I find in Microsoft's Knowlege Base, and have a firewall and virus protection running at all times. I have people say that they have never gotten a virus, so they don't feel a need to run protection. Theirs always a first time...

Mickwish · August 15th, 2003, 06:32 AM

Yep. Complacency has set in. I have friends that were on dial-up and thought they didn't need a firewall. They were very careful not to d/load strange programs, or open unsolicited attachments in emails. They even set their AV's to monitor emails for viruses.

But this worm comes in uninvited,. It just seeks the hole and comes right through. Nothing needed to be done by the user.

So, now I stress firewallls to all my friends on dial-up.

We got lazy. It wasn't all Billy's fault.

Cheers
Mick

blubomber · August 15th, 2003, 12:00 PM

Yes, microsoft does have some bad business practices, but i still prefer their OS over others at this time because of its ease of use to the new computer user. The OS is pretty complex like any OS is and with microsoft always pushing the next version out the door, it is bound to have some holes in it.

No, i do not think microsoft deserved it. First, microsoft did have a patch out since 7/16. And, almost two weeks before the virus was released, there were security bulitins all over the net telling everyone that a major virus attack was on its way that would take advantage of this hole in Microsofts OS. When that warning came out, i made sure my home computer and the computers on my work network were protected. So it really bugs me that microsoft is being blamed by some for this.

I see an OS like a car. If you want it to be safe and last a long time, you have to maintain it and keep it up to date.

IMO.