Windows Vista so secure it 'doesn't need Antivirus'

[Kiran.dks]

Courtesy: Vnunet.com
Edited: Kiran

Microsoft has stated that Windows Vista's new security features are so strong that antivirus software is no longer necessary.

When asked about the security of Vista compared with XP, Microsoft told BetaNews: "Windows XP SP2 did an amazing job, but we learned a lot during Windows XP SP2 and there were things that we couldn't put in that product.

Strong feature in Vista is Address Space Layout Randomisation. Each Vista machine is slightly different. So even if there is a remote exploit on one machine, and a worm tries to jump from one machine to another, the probability of that actually succeeding is very small.

[JGuru]

The Address Space Layout Randomisation (ASLR) is copied from Linux!!

[Kiran.dks]

Originally Posted by JGuru

The Address Space Layout Randomisation (ASLR) is copied from Linux!!

Copied? Hope you understand every bit of that word thoroughly.
Especially when it becomes more 'technical'.

ASLR is not a simple program which microsoft can copy and paste in Vista just like that. Address Space Layout Randomization involves arranging the positions of major data areas randomly in virtual address space. So one need to develop their own randomness from kernels. Linux uses PaX, which implements least privilege protections for memory pages. They are planning to change the way PaX gets randomness for ASLR from the kernel. Microsoft has develpoed their own method of getting this randomness in kernel. It's rather very hard to implement in Windows than Linux due to PE differences.
This is known technique. It is not a sort of invention. It's how one implements into thier OS. Linux, OpenBSD implemented it earlier. Microsoft was working on it. It's now implemented in Vista.

[naveen_reloaded]

competition does make genuinity and feature rich result

[anandk]

thanx for the link

the same article also adds :
"However, given that Microsoft has already released large patches for Vista, experts argue that the operating system could still be vulnerable to attacks and it would be extremely rash to assume that Vista will be bullet-proof on release."

as long as any os (here windows) continues to remain the post popular and widely used desktop soln, it will continue to get hammered at, by the hackers and the malware writers. i think new malware penetration routes will be found out, and this never-ending cat and mouse game will continue...but yes,
vista is more secure

[mayer]

Already got some twists in this story. ALLCHIN backs of from his statements in his Friday blog.

[Kiran.dks]

His statements doesn't mean that Vista doesn't require Antivirus at all. He implied how secure Vista is. Blowing news out of proportion is always there in media. It's how we take the news and understand.

[kumarmohit]

Vista will not require antivirus in certain circumstances only like when extremely well defined and thorough parental control are defined some thing not every one will care to do.

[Kiran.dks]

@Indyan,

Read my above post. Don't bother about individual opinions. It's pretty clear that Vista is more secure due to implementation of ASLR. And that's what my point is.

[JGuru]

@Kiran.rkk, I very well understand what does ASLR means technically in detail!!

I quote the following from eWeek.com

The short answer to your "so what?" is that ASLR—properly implemented—makes exploitation of overflows in programs considerably harder to accomplish. Other researchers piped up to say that similar techniques have been used in hardened versions of Linux and there are ways to defeat them, but there's some controversy over how true this really is and how relevant it is to Microsoft's implementation.

You can read it here

Read more about Buffer Underruns, ASLR, etc., from here

What I actually meant was not the Copy & paste thing. Linux already uses a similar technique!!
The problem with ASLR is that if you go on exploiting one thing, instead of that, something else will be exploited!!
With ASLR Windows randomizes the locations of different Windows program sections: the heaps, stacks and base load addresses!!!.

The end result is that ASLR makes Vista a bit more secure. But that doesn't mean that it's immune from any vulnerabilities!!

[Kiran.dks]

@Jguru,

What are you pointing to and where is your thought heading to? Don't loose the way. At first u said Microsoft copied it from Linux. I justified it saying that it is not a copy. Now you are telling that it is not a copy but Linux has implemented it earlier. So what? Linux 'implemented' it earlier doesn't mean anyone who implements later are copiers? Huh! If that was the case technology would have been no where. And at last u finish up leaving the cons of ASLR, which is no way related to our conversation!!
Come on dude...Be clear when you say something.

[JGuru]

@Kiran.rkk, I'm not diverting from the topic. Just a pointer that Vista with ASLR
doesn't mean that it doesn't need a antivirus!! That's the most preposterous thing!!
Even with a antivirus installed in Vista & all those security features. It's still possible
to hack & screw-up Vista totally.

[Kiran.dks]

@Jguru,

Yep! You are deviating from what you said. In your first quote u never said these things. Your reply was that microsoft copied ASLR from linux and that's when our discussion started. Inbetween you deviated and start telling about drawbacks of ASLR. What you are telling now is what I already said. Here is my quote from above.

His statements doesn't mean that Vista doesn't require Antivirus at all. He implied how secure Vista is. Blowing news out of proportion is always there in media. It's how we take the news and understand.

It's better to accept that u did mistake by saying that microsoft copied ASLR from Linux rather than pointing out things ending up no where!

[niku_19jan]

thnks 4 info

[Kiran.dks]

I presented the news headline 'as is' and I don't see anything wrong in doing that becoz it is in NEWS section and mentioned the source too. It was not my coverage news dude! I just added to your update.

[lalam]

I don't really believe this.........

[JGuru]

@Kiran.rkk, Vista definitely needs a good antivirus & firewall.It's good to know that
MS has beefed-up security to a higher level. I don't blame you for the heading, since
it's not your comment, but one made by a employee of MS!!!

[sonia18sagar]

Microsoft has stated that Windows Vista's new security features are so strong that antivirus software is no longer necessary.

[caleb]

Interesting topic this & a sensational heading. All these discussions make Vista more desirable.

[mihirvashist]

we'll see how secure it is...no matter what they claim soon crackers and virii coders will find ways of ****ing a vista system