Forwarded from: Richard Forno <rforno@private> Very disturbing developments.....and we wonder why IT security will never really improve....look no further than this story to learn why. -rick Infowarrior.org http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGASNQR81LD.html By Ted Bridis The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) - The chief technology officer for a technology firm that works closely with Microsoft Corp. lost his job after he helped write a study critical of the insecurity of Microsoft software. Daniel E. Geer Jr., an expert with nearly three decades studying technology and computer security, learned Thursday he was no longer employed by AtStake Inc. of Cambridge, Mass. (if he did this report w/o telling anyone at his company, I can understand why they might've fired him, particularly since he's an executive and that carries some PR value/perception.......rf) < snip > But critics said Geer's firing was reflective of Microsoft's far-reaching ability in Washington and across the technology industry to silence experts who complain about weaknesses in its software or its aggressive business practices. The Justice Department struggled years ago to find technology executives willing to testify against Microsoft in its antitrust trial. < snip > The CCIA trade group also ran into trouble Thursday when it sought to send a paid announcement about its critical Microsoft report to 140,000 subscribers of popular trade magazines for chief security officers and chief information officers. The publisher for CIO and CSO magazines, CXO Media Inc., offers such announcements "to target a specific market segment of our audience by designing a list of prospects for direct mail and e-mail purposes." But in this case, the subject was too touchy. (too touchy? And the untold reams of MS security bulletins clogging our inboxes each week, and the money we loose each year dealing with MS' crap ISN'T a touchy subject?.....rf) "We find it is too sensitive of material to send out. I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I have to deny your request," according to an e-mail from the publisher obtained by The Associated Press. - ISN is currently hosted by Attrition.org To unsubscribe email majordomo@private with 'unsubscribe isn' in the BODY of the mail.
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