Security Firm: Windows 7 Less Secure Than Vista
Despite the marketing push, Microsoft developers do not try to hide the fact that Windows 7 is an extension of efforts made for Windows Vista.
Windows 7 fixed or improved many of the things people didn't like about Windows Vista, but Raimund Genes, CTO of security firm Trend Micro, has found something that he much preferred in the earlier OS.
Genes said that Microsoft made design decisions this time around that sacrificed security in the interest of usability, mostly because of Microsoft dialing back User Account Control (UAC).
"I'm not saying Windows 7 is insecure, but out of the box Vista is better," Genes told The Register.
"I was disappointed when I first used a Windows 7 machine that there was no warning that I had no anti-virus, unlike Vista," Genes said. "There are no file extension hidden warnings either. Even when you do install anti-virus, warnings that it has not been updated are almost invisible."
"Windows 7 may be an improvement in terms of useability but in terms of security it's a mistake, though one that isn't that surprising. When Microsoft's developers choose between usability and security, they will always choose useability," Genes argued.
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this guy sounds like a dick. He's saying he wants more intrusive prompts to update definitions and more UAC promts... stuff people hated in Vista/Xp so Microsoft reduced them. They're still there and it's still secure... seriously this sounds like the guy who says 'lets add loads more random balloons that say update anti-virus and more prompts that say 'confirm you said yes' as this makes things secure. Urgh... rant over.
wait one more...
also why is his opinion even important? He's head of a securty firm 'Trend Micro'. Pushing that Windows isn't secure will hopefully worry people into getting his antivurus products... this guys pushing his own agenda basically.
Urgh.
Rant really over.
Him saying 7 is not secure is like saying a particular car is not secure because the seatbelts don't strap you in by themselves.
Ignorance of the system does not mean it is insecure, it means the user is an idiot.
All the commentors above are awesome!
That's one really misleading title, it skipped the part of his statement which was most relevant (well actually the whole thing was pointless, but meh) in order to make the article seem far more scandelous then it actually is.
I'd expect that from The Sun or some other second rate newspaper, but would nice to have tech news which actually provides unbiased commentary (OH WAIT I FORGOT ABOUT APPLE PRODUCTS BEING AWSUM N STUFF).
What he said is bullshit. I've installed Windows 7 numerous times and every time it warns me that there is no anti-virus up until I install some. Or am I missing something?
I think that either this guy is a bit behind the times or my Windows 7 is special just for me. After all, Windows 7 was my idea.
I have lost respect for Trend Micro
At the end of the day ppl have to actually use the system. There's no point being secure if you have 10 billion "are you sure?" prompts. I find 7 has struck a nice balance as it only queries me when something bad happens and gets the heck outta my way when I'm doing something. It's much better to have a lighter UAC that stays on then and heavier one that ppl disable so they can get basic use out of the machine.