Microsoft Warns of Critical Windows' Flaw (Windows users alert)

Reuters ^ | Tue February 10, 2004 04:09 PM ET | By Reed Stevenson and Elinor Mills Abreu

[Cicero]

Humm. I'm running Win98SE on this office computer, but I guess I'll have to visit Windows Update when I get home. It wasn't there this morning.

Updating once a month was a crazy idea. I hope MS will reconsider it. The updates should be posted if, as, and when they are ready. If SysAdmins want to update once a month, let them. But the rest of us would rather not have such an artificial constraint imposed on us, I would imagine.

[goldstategop]

I've downloaded and installed the lastest patches to be on the safe side. However, I haven't been compromised by a virus or trojan horse cause I practice safe computing and have anti-virus and firewall software installed on my PC.

[gdyniawitawa]

Please find a link attach to this thread. You will be able to find more information dealing with this virus.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=MyDoom+worm&btnG=Google+Search

[mercy]

I don't let my PC anywhere near the web anymore. I routed my previous email account to my .mac account. I ONLY surf through my mac. No viruses.

[Astronaut]

"Flagship Windows operating system." What a joke. Its one leaky, rusty, slow, ugly flagship! Macintosh rules.

[DB]

I've been on the Web 8 years, use a PC and have never gotten a virus from the Web. I use the Web extensively. No need to go paranoid.

[DB]

If Macintosh ruled, all the viruses would be written for the Mac instead... I wish the Mac "ruled"...

[Reaganwuzthebest]

Updating once a month was a crazy idea.

Microsoft didn't update their browser for three months, finally patching it last week despite known issues. But at least they have agreed to service 98SE a few more years, the security problems are never ending.

[Sloth]

I've been on the Web 8 years, use a PC and have never gotten a virus from the Web. I use the Web extensively. No need to go paranoid.

Same here, even the number of years. So long as you take reasonable care -- not opening unknown attachments, etc. -- and if you don't share a LAN with doofuses, you're fine.

[Truth666]

All explained here a long time ago
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1017846/posts#9

[js1138]

I don't let my PC anywhere near the web anymore.

It must be terrible to go through life so fearful. I suppose you also believe in gun control.

Here's a clue: anyone who has a virus scanner and turnd on the built in firewall in Windows XP and loads the recommended updates will never get these bugs. All of the recent infestations have hit people who refused to update.

Adwar is a different issue. You actually have to have the sense to say no to offers of free stuff.

[B Knotts]

LindowsOS

[AIC]

It will be hard for me to ever trust Microsoft again after downloading a virus fix and got a back door virus from their site. I will and have an automatic virus program that updates automatically since that time and will not go near any Microsoft site for anything. I'll buy their programs but I will not visit their site and download anything from them.

[NCjim]

This is what happens when there is no competition. Microsoft was allowed to use questionable tactics to gain monopoly status and we wonder why their quality is non-existant?

[general_re]

Adwar is a different issue. You actually have to have the sense to say no to offers of free stuff.

Well, I know one school faculty you can eliminate from the "good sense" category, then. I spent part of the afternoon hooking some scan converters up to the computers and televisions in a couple of classrooms this afternoon. And oh my God were they the most bug-infested things I've ever seen - Xupiter toolbars and Comet Cursors and Gatorware everywhere, on every single machine I saw there. I literally felt dirty just touching the things to plug a VGA cable in. I didn't have the heart to tell the IT guy there that his computers were more full of holes than a shotgunned Swiss cheese...

[PAR35]

I'm running Win98SE

An operating system no longer supported by Microsoft.

[Astronaut]

It wouldn't do any good to write viruses for OS X. No Active X to transmit them. Ports are not open by default the way Windows does. Mac OS X is more secure by design; the myth that there are no viruses for Macintosh because no one bothers is pure Microsoft generated myth.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

An operating system no longer supported by Microsoft.

Microsoft agreed to support 98SE for another two years:

Windows Plan Underscores Microsoft Struggle

[Publius6961]

I don't let my PC anywhere near the web anymore. I routed my previous email account to my .mac account.

Cool. I'll dust off my VIC-20 and join you...