Experts Applaud Microsoft's Security Moves Experts Applaud Microsoft's Security Moves Paul Jones
To head off future versions of the recent "Love Bug" assault, which wreaked havoc in Windows and Office platforms and paralyzed e-mail systems worldwide last week, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) plans to modify its software.
The company announced Monday that it's making some fundamental changes in Outlook--its e-mail, contact management and calendar program. The repair patch for Outlook 98 and Outlook 2000, which will require a download of about 1 megabyte, will be made available on the MSN Web site next week.
The changes take two basic forms. First, Outlook will refuse even to look at certain types of message attachments, such as the so-called VB Script attachment that carried the Love Bug payload, and users cannot override this. Essentially, all program attachments will be blocked.
"In the past, we've always sided with users' desire for power and flexibility," says Steven Sinofsky, senior vice-president in Microsoft's Office group. "Now we are saying that because of the pervasiveness of networking, there are some things you cannot do because of the risk they pose to other peoples' systems."
Industry experts say they are relieved to see Microsoft making these efforts.
