Re: http://www.betanews.com/article/No_Fix_for_Critical_Windows_98_Me_Flaw/1149873723

On Mon, 12 Jun 2006 22:40:05 -0400, "Jim Carlock" <anonymous@localhost>
wrote:
in <uzLWyKpjGHA.4512@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Some more off-topic items. These are good reading, though.
For some good laughs...

http://yro.slashdot.org/yro/06/06/11/2053214.shtml

The full article is below. The links contained in it
are listed below as well. It reads better at the link
above so feel free to read from here or there.

"According to an article on Groklaw, Microsoft is mis-
representing what the Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA)
tool is

http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20060608002958907

to pressure people into installing it. It comes with
no uninstall, it fails to disclose many pieces of
information it provides to Microsoft, and it mis-
represents itself as a 'critical update' when it does
not address any security vulnerability, although it
remains to be seen if can create one. ZDNet has a
series of screenshots...

(
ZDNet's posted article is titled, "Images: Microsoft's
shoddy Windows Genuine Advantage Installation
Process".
LINK: http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?page_id=3170
)

so that you can see exactly how badly it misrepresents
itself. Oh, and it also checks for updates, so Micro-
soft can presumably execute arbitrary code on any
machine with it installed, merely by making that code
part of a WGA update."

From the ZDNet link, four more articles continue on
about the WGA...

"With WGA, is Microsoft Forcing Windows Users to
Install And Test Pre-release Software?"
http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=3176

"Does Microsoft's New WGA Disclosure Fall Short?"
http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=3175

"MS Anti-Piracy Tools Phone Home"
http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=3168

"Ed Bott: Microsoft Presses The Stupid Button"
http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=76

Thanks goes to the guys in Steve Gibson's group for
the laughs.

news://news.grc.com (grc.security.software)

When WGA phones home, don't worry, Microsoft Defender is
there to protect you. (Unless you didn't install it).

Hi Jim-

Thanks for posting the Groklaw piece. Maybe others will take notice of
what really goes on...

---
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties and no guarantees either express or implied.

Stefan Berglund
.

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