Vista and security

[PigDog]

Security software firms seem to be getting upset/worried about their role (or lack of if Microsoft get their way) in the world of Vista.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5399534.stm

PigDog

[bob3160]

Since we've had a similar thread not long ago which seemed to have gone by the wayside, I'll repeat myself here:
The latest version of avast! seems to work well with Vista.

Maybe those AV companies that are having a problem, could ask Alwil for some advice  

[FreewheelinFrank]

The issue seems to be the Kernel.

The letter says that the best defenders of Microsoft's operating systems have been third party developers and security firms. But for the first time with Vista Microsoft is stopping security companies accessing the "kernel" - the heart of its operating system.

I assume avast! doesn't access the kernel in Vista, unless Alwil have done some clever hacking? 

The letter says: "For starters, customers should recognise that Microsoft is being completely unrealistic if, by locking security companies out of the kernel, it thinks hackers won't crack Vista's kernel. In fact, they already have...

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/10/02/mcafee_disses_ms/

[FreewheelinFrank]

Microsoft will allow security developers access to the kernel in Vista 64.

http://sunbeltblog.blogspot.com/2006/10/this-is-really-good-news.html

[DavidR]

Good news indeed, I suppose this stops the lawyers, getting ready for an anti-trust action, if One Care had privileged access.

[FreewheelinFrank]

Security firms skeptical about Vista shift

"We are encouraged to see Microsoft taking the security industry's concerns seriously," said Laura Yecies, general manager of Check Point's ZoneAlarm consumer division. "Once we have a chance to see what capabilities the new kernel-level APIs will extend to us, we'll have a better idea if they will be adequate. We hope to see those new API's soon."

http://news.com.com/Security+firms+skeptical+about+Vista+shift/2100-7355_3-6125866.html?part=rss&tag=6125866&subj=news&tag=sc.th

[bob3160]

There is a simple solution:
http://news.com.com/5208-7355-0.html?forumID=1&threadID=22009&messageID=193258&start=-1

[CharleyO]

***

There is a simple solution:
http://news.com.com/5208-7355-0.html?forumID=1&threadID=22009&messageID=193258&start=-1

Nice post at cnet, Bob.   


***

[FreewheelinFrank]

Harsh words from Symantec:

http://sunbeltblog.blogspot.com/2006/10/symantec-vp-rowan-trollope-on.html

[bob3160]

It's amazing how the giant Symantec seems to have problems and Alwil, a dwarf in comparison,
already has a solution.
We all know that the latest version of avast! is already Vista compliant.

I personally, having ditched NAV years ago, wouldn't want Symantec's  system hogging software
back on my computer. 

[FreewheelinFrank]

It's not a question of running on Vista, it's about Security companies wanting access to the kernel: not only Symantec but McAfee, Zone Alarm and Sunbelt.

Whether or not avast! can run on Vista is beside the point.

[bob3160]

It's not a question of running on Vista, it's about Security companies wanting access to the kernel: not only Symantec but McAfee, Zone Alarm and Sunbelt.

Whether or not avast! can run on Vista is beside the point.

Sorry but if avast! can do it, why can't the giants Isn't Alwil also a security company?

[FreewheelinFrank]

It's not a question of being able to run on Vista: these companies want access to the kernel.

Obviously avast! runs on Vista without accessing the kernel, unless Alwil has hacked Vista. 

These companies feel they need access to the kernel to provide extra security features. I suppose it's like telling a security company they can guard a bank but only from the customer side of the counter: no access behind the counters or to the vaults!

[bob3160]

Obviously these companies want to be let into the vault and Microsoft is refusing them access.
If it was my bank, it also think twice.
Why don't these complaining companies write their own operating system?
That way they could stop complaining. 

[FreewheelinFrank]

As security vendors, it is absolutely vital that we have access to the kernel.  And considering that the chances are high that hackers will break PatchGuard, security companies need access even more urgently.

http://sunbeltblog.blogspot.com/2006/10/symantec-vp-rowan-trollope-on.html

We could have a situation with the bad guys inside the vault thumbing their noses at the good guys locked outside!

If it was my bank, it also think twice.

It is your bank: it's your computer. Do you want your security programs to have no access to the 'vault', or do you want them to have access so they can protect from the inside out? This is what Alex Eckelberry at Sunbelt, Laura Yecies at ZoneAlarm and Rowan Trollope at Symantec seem to be saying.