MESSAGE
| DATE | 2003-09-19 |
| FROM | Ruben Safir Secretary NYLXS
|
| SUBJECT | Subject: [hangout] Balmer: MS is being ripped off by the net
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Ballmer: 'Thieves, con artists' attacking Microsoft By Ina Fried Staff
Writer, CNET News.com http://news.com.com/2100-1002-5076903.html
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer warned
Monday that recent security vulnerabilities represent a "new and growing
challenge to innovation" and conceded that his company is under attack
from "thieves, con artists, terrorists and hackers."
Click here to Play
Ballmer: Humbled by the worm Steve Ballmer, CEO, Microsoft In response,
the Redmond, Wash., software giant plans to develop new means for
thwarting such attackers and aims to shut down the invasions before they
wreak the havoc seen with recent viruses such as MSBlast.
"The most important technology area we are focused on is shield
technology," Ballmer said in a speech to the Churchill Club, a gathering
here of Silicon Valley businesspeople. "We know bad guys keep writing
viruses. The goal is to block them before they get on PCs. " News.context
What's new: Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer says the company is developing
"shield technology" to thwart PC invasions before they wreak the havoc
seen with recent viruses such as MSBlast.
Bottom line: Ballmer is the latest Microsoft executive to acknowledge
that the company's grand Trustworthy Computing initiative, launched more
than a year ago, has failed to stop disruptive attacks.
For more info: Track the players
Such technology has traditionally been the domain of antivirus software
makers, but Ballmer stressed that he wants to work more closely with
companies such as Symantec and Network Associates.
"This is an industrywide problem that must be fought not only by
Microsoft," Ballmer said, noting that it is not just the software
giant's operating system that is threatened, but also other areas of
network infrastructure that are at risk, including routers, databases
and Internet service provider connections. In June, Microsoft purchased
GeCad Software, a Romanian maker of antivirus software.
Ballmer said he understands that customers expect more from his company.
"Many of our customers are feeling the pain," he said. "We have to raise
the bar on the quality of products when it comes to security."
In particular, Ballmer said Microsoft must improve the way it distributes
and manages the software patches that it uses to update its operating
system and other programs. The software maker also is looking for ways
to involve other companies in what it calls the "post processing" of
its code--that is, looking through existing programs for vulnerabilities
and using the latest viruses to see if they point to other flaws.
"There is still a lot of work ahead of us," he said.
The one thing Microsoft can't do, Ballmer said, is stop innovating. "In
the old West, the banks didn't shut down when there were robberies. They
improved the banks. They improved the law enforcement."
In a sense, though, Microsoft already has tried that tactic. Early last
year, the company halted development of its key products while it went
line by line through its latest code to look for security bugs. That
effort, which pulled more than 8,500 programmers from their usual task
of developing new versions of Windows, has met with only mixed success.
"There is some evidence of progress," Ballmer said. "Not enough, but
there is some evidence."
Last week, Microsoft revealed three serious vulnerabilities. Such
disclosures are a routine occurrence.
Talking up tech In his speech, Ballmer addressed a range of other
topics, including several Asian countries' efforts to develop a Windows
competitor. "I don't think it's likely to prove useful," Ballmer said. "I
don't think it's going to wind up being the big competitor we see--even
in those markets."
He also touched on Apple Computer's position in the marketplace. "Apple
is doing some good, innovative work," he said.
In particular, Ballmer cited the work that Apple and Lucent Technologies
did in 1999 to make wireless networking broadly available with Apple's
Airport. "It's easy to forget how truly groundbreaking this technology
was." At the same time, Ballmer noted that Apple doesn't appear to be
stealing much of the computer market from Windows-based rivals. "I don't
see their basic position in the market changing."
Ballmer took the opportunity to praise other Silicon Valley tech
companies, including search king Google and graphics software maker
Adobe Systems. "Its work on typefaces was one of the most significant
advances in printing," he said of Adobe.
He commented briefly on how long Microsoft will wait for investments in
mobile devices, Xbox and MSN to pay off.
"All of best things we have done from a financial perspective have taken
a long, long time," he said. "We're going to be patient."
As for MSN, Ballmer noted that it is well on its way from transforming
from a dial-up ISP to a seller of other paid services. Today's paid
offerings focus on e-mail and storage, but Ballmer promised more to
come. "You'll see us extend the range of services we offer on MSN."
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