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Bill Gates says users to blame for security problems

Daniel Fleshbourne   on 03 November 2003 - 09:54 · 115 comments & 11048 views

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MICROSOFT'S CHIEF SOFTWARE ARCHITECT Bill Gates is repeating the mantra that users are to blame for insecure PCs, in an interview with a Canadian newspaper. This refrain is familiar to the INQUIRER: Gates said more or less the same thing when he addressed an Assembly of CEOs in Berlin a few weeks ago. The chief software architect (CSA.'.) told IT Business that perfect code wasn't the answer to security problems, but firewalls and keeping the software up to date were more important. The problems that have occurred this year wouldn't have happened if firms and individuals had set up their software probably.

He also claims in the article that Microsoft has always had security patches out before the exploits happened. Developers were also to blame because they didn't understand the application program interfaces, Gates told the publication.

And he also claimed that all forms of Unix and Linux have a greater number of vulnerabilities than Microsoft but don't spread as much because "they're not as dense" as Windows. Low volume software is hit by malicious people, high volume software, that is Windows, is hit by people who want visibility and glory.

News source: The Inq

Post a comment · Send to friend Comments · There are 115 additional comments
(3 replies) #1 on 01 Jan 1970 - 00:00
#1.1 creamhackered on 03 Nov 2003 - 12:31
No he's not, you just don't know what you're talking about.
#1.2 creamhackered on 03 Nov 2003 - 13:24
Oh dear lets play the "Jon makes a prat out of himself game"

http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/7185/discussion/

Fool.
#1.3 creamhackered on 03 Nov 2003 - 13:42
How many more links do I have to post until you admit you're wrong.

http://lists.insecure.org/lists/bugtraq/2003/Sep/0488.html
http://www.securiteam.com/unixfocus/5EP0I0K8AI.html
http://web.mit.edu/kerberos/www/advisories/MITKRB5-SA-2003-005-buf.txt

Jeeze.
(1 reply) #2 on 01 Jan 1970 - 00:00
#2.1 vetmalebolgia on 03 Nov 2003 - 19:20
I second that
(1 reply) #3 on 01 Jan 1970 - 00:00
#3.1 vetmalebolgia on 03 Nov 2003 - 19:27
QUOTE (#16.2)
Did you mean SMS, not SUS?

Nope it's SUS I'm not sure about this, but I think you can only download & install critical updates with it?

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