Firewall Wizards mailing list archives
RE: Annoying pop-ups
From: "Scott, Richard" <Richard.Scott () BestBuy com>
Date: Thu, 31 Oct 2002 18:07:30 -0600
<snip> While I generally despise Microsoft, I don't think it's fair to call having a messenger service a newfangled evil. RPC.rwalld's been around on most POSIX systems forever. Personally I see this messenger service spam business as a non-issue. To me, anybody who is affected by it is just paying up their stupidity tax when they have to click ok. With all the free or cheap personal firewall software available there isn't a whole lot of excuse for anybody to get hit by this traffic from the Internet--not even home users (and if this traffic is getting to them, pop-ups could easily be the least of their problems). </snip> I strongly disagree. Users who wish to use this software, and the vast majority of users, are not always inclined to review such functionality. Given that we all purchase cars, do we insist on the manufacturing methods to construct the car, do we insist that all the safety checks have been executed to ensure they work? In fact do we all not speed at some time or another? The issue here is that Microsoft and other vendors need to understand that default settings are acceptable to the techno people of the world. But given the technology push to fulfill the "Family Entertainment Learning experience" not everyone will understand the implications of this "vulnerability"/annoyance. Microsoft and others need to change their mindset, after all XP machines are not server engineered and such functionality is not needed for home use. With many features, the necessary procedure should be FULLY documented to instruct the user how to TURN ON the server, not turn it off. It has long been argued that security and privacy is lowered to increase usability. Here is the crux of the problem, it's an engineering one. We should be engineering components that operate in the high security setting that allows the user to do what they wish. And if and only if they require such a service, a well documented process for switching the functionality on and having it work correctly should be given. End rant. Richard Scott INFORMATION SECURITY Best Buy World Headquarters 7075 Flying Cloud Drive Eden Prairie, MN 55344 USA The views expressed in this email do not represent Best Buy or any of its subsidiaries _______________________________________________ firewall-wizards mailing list firewall-wizards () honor icsalabs com http://honor.icsalabs.com/mailman/listinfo/firewall-wizards
Current thread:
- RE: Annoying pop-ups Scott, Richard (Oct 31)
- RE: Annoying pop-ups R. DuFresne (Nov 01)
- Message not available
- RE: Annoying pop-ups Gregory Austin (Nov 01)
- RE: Annoying pop-ups R. DuFresne (Nov 01)
- Message not available
- RE: Annoying pop-ups Gregory Austin (Nov 01)
- RE: Annoying pop-ups R. DuFresne (Nov 01)
- RE: Annoying pop-ups Paul Robertson (Nov 01)
- RE: Annoying pop-ups Christopher Hicks (Nov 01)
- RE: Annoying pop-ups Paul D. Robertson (Nov 01)
- RE: Annoying pop-ups Bill Royds (Nov 02)
- RE: Annoying pop-ups Gregory Austin (Nov 01)
- Re: Annoying pop-ups Gary Flynn (Nov 01)