Re: FIX for ZoneAlarm & KB951748 issue released
"Kerry Brown" wrote:
> "Stinger" <Stinger@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:B7A45133-F148-4507-85CB-> Bottom line, this update is important since
> it was a gapping hole in Windows
> > for quite some time. Great that Windows decided to do something about it.
> > Bad it renders tried and true helper 3rd party software that has been used
> > for years by the general public trying its best to close that huge hole in
> > Windows (with what is considered "overkill) and at the same time
> > consumers
> > are unable to even get on the internet without a single word of caution
> > from
> > the makers of the operating system. Ironically, they left it up to the
> > geeks
> > of the world to figure it out. Nice from a company that assumes it's the
> > industry leader.
>
>
> You should do a bit of research before you post. The gaping hole was in the
> way DNS worked. It was not Windows specific. Almost every OS was affected.
> In fact almost everything that interacted with DNS in any way was affected.
>
> http://www.securityfocus.com/news/11526
>
> Take a look at some of the affected products.
>
> http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/800113
>
> We can debate the effectiveness of software firewalls all day. I don't think
> at the end of the debate either of us would change their mind. You think
> they're great. I think they're mostly hype and snake oil. There is no
> debating the fact that this flaw in the DNS system needed to be patched and
> it needed to be patched immediately. This has nothing to do with Windows.
> The flaw was in the way DNS worked. The fact that your 3rd party application
> couldn't deal with the fact that an OS update changed some system files says
> a lot about how well it's programmed. It wasn't any changes in the files
> that broke your software. It was just the fact that the files changed that
> broke it. If an application can't deal with the fact that an OS may update
> itself it's not an application I would want on my computer.
>
> --
> Kerry Brown
> MS-MVP - Windows Desktop Experience: Systems Administration
> http://www.vistahelp.ca/phpBB2/
> http://vistahelpca.blogspot.com/
>
>
>
>
>
Simply amazing to me how many of you responders hold such a cavalier
attitude toward security. I challenge any of you to publicly post a static
IP address available you can monitor, turn on that wonderful Windows firewall
(since that's all you believe is needed) and sit back for a few days and
watch what happens. You'll soon discover how vital a security becomes in
your computer world. Do it the right way, like MOST consumers do without the
aid of any router or other bandwidth protectors.
Firewalls are mostly hype and snake oil. Thanks for that little chuckle.
You don't mind if I share that statement with others in the real world
outside of the protection of this forum? Sure, most computer users are small
fish in a big see but not all of us....obviously. I for one would rather be
safe with my firewall protection than to take the word of someone that
discounts security as easliy as the like of this group.
Oh and let's be real honest about something here. Internet Explorer is
"bundled" with Windows, has been for a long time. Windows is also the most
common OS in the world. But IE is nothing more than a GUI for viewing web
pages. Saying the DNS problem wasn't related to Windows (did you really say
that??) is laughable. Perhaps a better understanding of the actual DNS issue
should be on your todo list. And on top of all that even implying a firewall
isn't involved in this DNS issue is blasphemy. What conduit is being used
for this communication between your computer and web pages if it's not via
ports? I'll quote a single line explaining part of the DNS process for those
reading this that are tired of being directed to web sites --> "If the
records are not stored locally, your computer queries (or contacts) your
ISP's recursive DNS servers." Doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand
the Windows operating system does indeed have a major stake in this DNS
problem. If you still are riding on the boat down the river of denial, ask
yourself one question.... Why was the patch even produced by MS if there
wasn't a "problem" with the OS, hmm?
Yea, firewalls are all hype and snake oil. That's an instant classic!
You folks need to get out of the Microsoft world and step intto the real
world every once in a while or you're limiting yourself.