Microsoft shows new anti-malware tool at Black Hat security conference

[Shayla]

At the annual Black Hat computer-security conference today, Microsoft is showing off a new tool that can allow old software to get security fixes built for new programs.

The Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit (EMET) has its own user interface, showing all current processes and the available security fixes for them. A user can apply new vulnerability patches to old programs such as Internet Explorer 6, said Dave Forstrom, general manager for Microsoft's Trustworthy Computing group.

He said the toolkit is part of Microsoft's continuing push for technology companies to thwart malware together, rather than individually, by sharing findings and data. Last week, Microsoft said it has officially change its security policy from one of "responsible disclosure" to one of "coordinated vulnerability disclosure."

"The reason for this shift and why we're calling for this shift in mindset across the country," Forstrom said, "it really gets to the heart of putting customers first and attacking vulnerabilities when they pop up."

For instance, Adobe recently agreed to use the Microsoft Active Protections Program (MAPP) to share newly found software vulnerabilities with the program's 65 partners, including Cisco, Symantic, McAfee and others. MAPP anti-malware partners receive information on vulnerabilities, in one templated format, before Microsoft releases the information to the public on the second Tuesday of every month.

Forstrom said MAPP, along with two other programs Microsoft announced at Black Hat 2008, have so far been successful in bringing together security and software companies so they can push out fixes before cybercriminals push out attacks on software vulnerabilities. In the past few years, attacks on software have become more commonplace than attacks on operating systems, he said.

"The criminals won't relent," he said, "so we have to work together and coordinate together."

The EMET will be available for free in August.

Source : SeattlePI

[Buendia]

Is it something like Secunia's PSI?

[Mr. Gibs]

That seems like a pretty good idea (Y)