FC: Weekly column: White House appears soft on Microsoft's security

From: Declan McCullagh (declanat_private)
Date: Mon Sep 16 2002 - 08:00:12 PDT

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    http://news.com.com/2010-1074-957970.html
       
       Microsoft's new deal with Uncle Sam
       By Declan McCullagh
       September 16, 2002, 4:00 AM PT
    
       WASHINGTON--Why does the White House refuse to tell Microsoft to get
       tough on security?
       
       On Wednesday, the Bush administration is scheduled to publish its
       proposal to increase the security of the Internet. Properly titled the
       "National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace," it's said to talk with great
       earnestness about helping home users safeguard their computers, about
       thwarting online intrusions into business systems, and about providing
       better training to federal network administrators.
       
       But, according to people familiar with the draft report, it pays scant
       attention to Microsoft, which has been responsible for more online
       security woes than any other company in history.
       
       Such an absence would be glaring. Intentional design choices and
       unintentional bugs in Microsoft Windows, Outlook, Word and Explorer
       have created vulnerabilities so numerous they've become legendary.
       Shoddy default settings have practically begged intruders to plunder
       Windows-equipped PCs. Any serious look at Internet security has to
       start with the world's largest software company.
    
       But the Bush administration appears to have punted. During an
       invitation-only briefing last Thursday, a National Security Council
       official told about two dozen attendees from civil liberties groups
       and trade associations that the White House had no problem with the
       Internet's "monoculture" environment. Biologists warn against plant
       monoculture, which permits pathogens to spread like wildfire. The same
       principle applies to malicious code and our largely-Microsoft Internet
       environment.
    
       [...]
    
    
    
    
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