Symantec Slams Vista Security

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‘Hackers’ Christmas’ has become somewhat of a cult phrase since I first used it to describe the release date of Windows Vista. Now Symantec seems to be making a similar point.

The not-at-all-bitter-about-OneCare-antivirus-developer has lashed out at the impending OS saying in some areas it is potentially less secure than XP. In particular it identified specific sections of the networking code and deduced:

“Microsoft has removed a large body of tried and tested code and replaced it with freshly written code, complete with new corner cases and defects. This may provide for a more stable networking stack in the long term, but stability will suffer in the short term.”

Now I know Vista is on its second Release Candidate but don’t you just get splurged by all the juice from the sour grapes here? I enjoy delivering a swift kick to the privates of the Redmond behemoth on occasion too, but not when it has its back turned. This is a ‘beta’ guys, to quote a well known beer commercial “Stop! It’s Not Really Yet.”

What makes this attack even sadder is Symantec admits a number of its complaints have already been addressed by the latest RC and that they are unlikely to feature in the final release (though naturally it takes the credit for pointing them out in the first place).

Some may argue that Symantec, after 24 years in the security trade, has every right to speak out regarding any holes it may find in what will become the world’s most used operating system. Me, I still think it is just pissed about OneCare…

Link:
Symantec UK

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