Re: Class-action suit points to Microsoft security flaws

["V.O." <vosipov () tpg com au>]

" The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, also claims that
Microsoft's security warnings are too complex to be understood by the
general public and serve instead to tip off "fast-moving" hackers on how to
exploit flaws in its operating system."

Cool. Does this mean that they want Microsoft to stop publishing these
bulletins or to educate all of the users of it's products in the area of
information security? :)


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard M. Smith" <rms () computerbytesman com>
To: <full-disclosure () lists netsys com>
Sent: Friday, October 03, 2003 5:47 AM
Subject: [Full-disclosure] Class-action suit points to Microsoft security
flaws


> Class-action suit points to Microsoft security flaws
> http://news.com.com/2100-1009-5085730.html
>
> Microsoft faces a proposed class-action lawsuit in California based on the
claim that its software's market dominance and
> vulnerability to viruses could lead to "massive, cascading failures" in
global computer networks.
> The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, also claims that
Microsoft's security warnings are too complex to be
> understood by the general public and serve instead to tip off
"fast-moving" hackers on how to exploit flaws in its operating system.
> The suit claims unfair competition and the violation of two California
consumer rights laws, one of which is intended to protect the
> privacy of personal information in computer databases. It asks for
unspecified damages and legal costs, as well as an injunction
> against Microsoft barring it from unfair business practices.
>
> Many of the arguments in the lawsuit and some of its language echoed a
report issued by computer security experts in late September,
> which warned that the all-but-total reach of Microsoft's software on
desktops worldwide had made computer networks a national
> security risk.
>
> ...
>
> "Microsoft's eclipsing dominance in desktop software has created a global
security risk," the lawsuit said. "As a result of
> Microsoft's concerted effort to strengthen and expand its monopolies by
tightly integrating applications with its operating
> system.the world's computer networks are now susceptible to massive,
cascading failure."
> With some $49 billion in cash and more than 90 percent of the market in PC
operating systems, Microsoft has long been seen as a
> potential target for massive liability lawsuits.
>
> ...
>
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