Microsoft Corp. executives, digging out from the aftermath of an unwelcome Internet worm that wriggled into 500,000 of its customers' computers last week, say that it is time to consider making software updates automatic for home users of the Windows operating system.
The company is "looking very seriously" at requiring future versions of Windows to accept automatic software fixes unless the user specifically refuses to receive them, said Mike Nash, corporate vice president of Microsoft's security business unit.
"The feedback we got when we did XP a few years ago was 'I don't want Microsoft automatically putting things onto my machine,' " Nash said. "What we're finding now is that through a combination of the availability of broadband and customers wanting to stay up to date with security patches, and, most importantly, considering the kinds of threats out there now, that customers want us to keep them up to date automatically -- not just by downloading the patches for them but installing them as well."
The next version of Windows, which analysts expect to be completed in late 2004, could be the first to let the Auto Update feature download patches from Microsoft without requiring the user's explicit approval. Microsoft is also considering whether to make the Auto Update mandatory earlier, through an interim upgrade known as a service pack.
A final decision to make the feature mandatory for home users has not yet been made, but one Microsoft executive called it "the ideal solution." Microsoft sent out a "critical update" e-mail July 16, alerting its customers to the "Blaster" worm, but many ignored the warning until the worm began spreading rapidly last week. The company has no plans to consider forcing business users to install patches, because most companies are reluctant to do so. Some patches interfere with existing programs.
But even some of Microsoft's staunchest critics say it is probably time to require users to download patches.
"I have always been a fierce enemy of the Microsoft update feature, because I just don't like the idea of someone else -- particularly Microsoft -- controlling my system," said Bruce Schneier, co-founder of Counterpane Internet Security Inc. "Now, I think it's great, because it gets the updates out to the non-technically savvy masses, and that's the majority of Internet users. Security is a trade-off, to be sure, but this is one trade-off that's worthwhile."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11579-2003Aug18.html
The company is "looking very seriously" at requiring future versions of Windows to accept automatic software fixes unless the user specifically refuses to receive them, said Mike Nash, corporate vice president of Microsoft's security business unit.
"The feedback we got when we did XP a few years ago was 'I don't want Microsoft automatically putting things onto my machine,' " Nash said. "What we're finding now is that through a combination of the availability of broadband and customers wanting to stay up to date with security patches, and, most importantly, considering the kinds of threats out there now, that customers want us to keep them up to date automatically -- not just by downloading the patches for them but installing them as well."
The next version of Windows, which analysts expect to be completed in late 2004, could be the first to let the Auto Update feature download patches from Microsoft without requiring the user's explicit approval. Microsoft is also considering whether to make the Auto Update mandatory earlier, through an interim upgrade known as a service pack.
A final decision to make the feature mandatory for home users has not yet been made, but one Microsoft executive called it "the ideal solution." Microsoft sent out a "critical update" e-mail July 16, alerting its customers to the "Blaster" worm, but many ignored the warning until the worm began spreading rapidly last week. The company has no plans to consider forcing business users to install patches, because most companies are reluctant to do so. Some patches interfere with existing programs.
But even some of Microsoft's staunchest critics say it is probably time to require users to download patches.
"I have always been a fierce enemy of the Microsoft update feature, because I just don't like the idea of someone else -- particularly Microsoft -- controlling my system," said Bruce Schneier, co-founder of Counterpane Internet Security Inc. "Now, I think it's great, because it gets the updates out to the non-technically savvy masses, and that's the majority of Internet users. Security is a trade-off, to be sure, but this is one trade-off that's worthwhile."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11579-2003Aug18.html