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Submitted via IRC for Bytram
Microsoft regularly issues security updates, but it added a little something extra on Tuesday: it's letting all customers, even those using older versions of Windows, update their software.
This move is an attempt to avoid another ransomware outbreak like WannaCry, also called WannaCrypt, which rocked the web last month.
"The WannaCrypt ransomware served as an all too real example of the danger of cyber attacks to individuals and businesses globally," Adrienne Hall, general manager of Microsoft's Cyber Defense Operations Center, wrote in a blog post. "In reviewing the updates for this month, some vulnerabilities were identified that pose elevated risk of cyber attacks by government organizations, sometimes referred to as nation-state actors or other copycat organizations."
Microsoft said it made the decision to apply this assortment of updates to provide further protection against potential attacks with similar characteristics as WannaCrypt. The security updates will be delivered automatically through Windows Update to devices running Windows 10, Windows 8.1 and Windows 7.
Source: CNET
Also at Ars Technica
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday June 14 2017, @03:17PM (8 children)
If someone has XP, or Win2k, or any other outdated OS installed on essential equipment - then WHY IS IT CONNECTED TO ANYTHING?
Our last piece of equipment with NT4 finally met it's fate. The pump died at the same time that the touchscreen died, and the penny pinchers FINALLY decided that it wasn't worth the cost of repair. But, that computer wasn't attached to any network. Ever. It stood out in the middle of the floor, and operated the sonic welder housed with it. There was zero reason to allow it to talk to anything. Now and then, a laptop was connected via com1, if the computer was acting up. No external logs were needed, no need to monitor production from a front office or anything. No floppy ports, no CD ports, and of course no USB. (For the few who don't know, Win NT4 would have no idea what a USB was.)
(Score: 3, Interesting) by zocalo on Wednesday June 14 2017, @04:03PM
UNIX? They're not even circumcised! Savages!
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 14 2017, @05:22PM (5 children)
I'm a pretty open-minded person and respect you for your views, often very inline with mine, sometimes not.
Here I strongly disagree with you on facts. I admin dozens of computers, from DOS to Win 10, many live Linux web/blog/etc. servers. I tend to prefer older things that just plain work: cars, tools, machines, etc. I'm strong with updating and patching, but cautious. Newer stuff has more "features", and more holes, bugs, and is made cheaper. I have FAR more security problems, unwanted "stuff" installing itself in browsers, etc., on the newest systems. You see, with all the added "features", they HAVE to do more with security, but it's never enough.
For example: I use many browsers, mostly Old Opera, which many people will rail against me for its "insecurity". But the fact, is, I have _never_ had any unwanted thing happen with Old Opera. Brand new shiny Vivaldi (based on Chrome) running with many blockers, is a different story, and I hope someone reads this cautionary tale: a few months ago I accidentally stumbled onto a slightly questionable website with Vivaldi. Should be no problem, right? Blockers all working, I'll clear the cache, cookies, etc., scrub it clean. Fire Vivaldi back up, browsing my usual SN, etc., and notice excess network traffic (I _always_ have some kind of visual indicator of network activity- "netspeedmonitor" in most cases". After much digging, long story short- I had removed _all_ Vivaldi extensions and there was still background network "noise", smsniff shows many IPs that aren't in DNS. Hmmm. Digging into Vivaldi- 2 extensions still there, with recent folder dates. Somehow the aforementioned website was able to install 2 hidden extensions, completely without my knowledge, permission, etc., simply through javascript. I do minimal web development, but I'm sure sickened by the pace of "features" and RestfulAPI and everything else. Too much fancy crap. Too much automation, wizards, etc.
For the record, I used to use USB very efficiently with Win98SE- external hard drives, cameras, etc. All worked well. I was never a fan of NT.
I keep many XP machines running well with POS patches, 3rd party patches (AutoPatcher), etc. today brings 7 new ones. Nice efficient patches. Win 7, it's a 100MB+ file, besides the usual anti-malware updates. Win10, daily nightmare.
I grow very weary of so many "tech" people here, certainly more so on the "green site", shouting smug arrogant attitude about "why would anyone run XP connected to the 'net". Maybe I'm arrogant in thinking I can beat you and win and keep the old girl running, just like I do my 23 year old car, and continue to tweak things to run better than your shiny new Win10 piece of crap, but I'm winning.
(Score: 2) by KGIII on Thursday June 15 2017, @01:18AM (3 children)
Huge Opera fan here. As in, since the days when we had to pay for it. It sucked, from v. 15 to v. 23, and by v. 25 it was not bad. It's pretty good, now.
"So long and thanks for all the fish."
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday June 15 2017, @06:45AM (2 children)
Yeah, and I really don't understand why it has such a small following. I've been using it since 1998 or so (IIRC) - I don't remember version numbers, but the per-site control of cookies, javascript, etc., is awesome. I used to talk about it on the green site and I got verbally smacked down. I know I have a high IQ but are most techies really morons, or am I missing something obviously wrong with Opera? I'm going back 15 years, but I still use it most. I've tried Chrome, huge huge RAM and CPU suck (unbelievable!), FF about the same, on Vivaldi right now but it's just repackaged Chrome. Seems better behaved, but still sucking huge RAM- 2 SN tabs open and it's sucking 500 MB RAM in 8 processes! ... There, ran "JetClean" RAM cleaner, now we're up to 9 Vivaldi processes, but maybe 110 MB RAM.
Are you old enough to remember the QNX demo floppy? A single 1.44 MB floppy, compressed image of course, booted into a GUI with an IP "stack", browser, a few other things. THAT is how you write code.
Are you using the newest Opera yet?
(Score: 2) by KGIII on Thursday June 15 2017, @02:25PM
They didn't have a Linux build for their new one. I think they call it Opera Next? It sounded neat but they didn't have one for my OS. I just use the current version of regular and beta. I think I have dev installed, but never use it.
"So long and thanks for all the fish."
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Thursday June 15 2017, @02:36PM
"I really don't understand why it has such a small following"
Funny thing about Opera. It positively ruled the internet, in Eastern European countries that use the Cyrillic aphabet. But, it never caught on strongly anywhere else. Something psychological about cyrillic language people? I dunno, just wild guessing here.
Personally, I found Firefox easy to use, easy to modify, and it was free from day one. No need to climb up that learning curve to use Opera. I do recognize that Opera has some superior points behind it, just not enough to win me over.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday June 15 2017, @12:29PM
Statistics from various sources say that 50-95% of machines out there are "pwned". Yet if you ask their owners the rate would be something like 5-25%. Cuz you can't see it doesn't mean it's not there.
(Score: 2) by KGIII on Thursday June 15 2017, @01:15AM
There were some ways to get USB support in NT4, with varied amounts of success. Not that it'd have done you any good, but it was possible even though I don't recall MS ever supporting it. We used some sort of card and software combination. Buggered if I can recall the name ;-)
No, this is not something I recommend. I just figured I'd throw it out there.
"So long and thanks for all the fish."