I understand the frustration Valdis has with the Microsoft situation.
I've done my share of patching and updating and crawling under
desks and wrestling with Exchange Server and all the rest,
and fortunately (for my sanity) I'm not managing a few dozen
M$ desktops anymore.My observation had more to do with the posturing of the "security"
vendors (anti-virus, firewall, IDS, etc.) and the broad range of
highly important experts who are all clamoring for attention on
All the markets are up. Almost all the security companies are down.
Outbreaks cost money. They suck up resources.
How are the ISP's that are competing on TV as secure networks
fairing on this? Are their customers calling their call centers?
this and on all the other everyday security issues out there.
There is certainly a need for security services and products and
activities, but I am just not enamored of the "security mindset."
This is just a part of what our job is so let's get on with it.And if we can convince the PHBs that moving off of Windows is
(1) feasible, which is obvious; (2) manageable for them, which is
not so clear, so much the better. I've broken my hammer pounding
this particular nail, so having failed at moving management away
from Windows, I moved myself away from management.
Realistically, it's irrelevant. MS is their target because of marketshare.
The next market leader will be subject to the same effort. How many
times have you heard of SGI having massive security flaws exploited
endangering the Internet? They do, but they aren't that big a slice
of the pie so the effort is less worthwhile and profitable.
The 30 PC network of unmanaged machines is a far bigger
problem. Let's pray that they get a zombie and they get
one someones botnet report so they can get fixed. The hammer
seems to kinda sorta work these days.
SP's have had a hand here. Back in the trumpet winsock days
we were screaming for ease of use so our support costs would go
down. Well, they did it. And the end users loved it. It can't be
just taken away.
Internet security problems at large haven't even reached the break
of dawn yet. Wait until every phone, toaster, baby intensive care
sensor, and car is hooked up.
-M<