Interview: Securing Windows

Amy Carroll, a director in Microsoft's Security unit, discusses the company's commitment to improving security

By Wayne Rash
March 15, 2004

As director of product management in the Security Business and Technology Unit at Microsoft, Amy Carroll is responsible for making sure that new enhancements to Windows and new versions of Windows are very secure. Carroll spoke to InfoWorld Senior Analyst Wayne Rash about the company's approach to security and commitment to improving the overall security of its operating system.

Will XP's Service Pack Break Existing Apps?
Some software may not work on PCs with SP2 installed.
Joris Evers,
IDG News Service

When Microsoft releases Service Pack 2 for Windows XP later this year, some software developers may find their applications no longer work on updated Windows machines.

Microsoft Adds More Features to XP Service Pack 2
By Mary Jo Foley,
Microsoft Watch
February 24, 2004

The update, due out midyear, is looking more and more like a whole new version of Windows.

Microsoft Corp. has made a new, updated beta of its forthcoming Windows XP Service Pack 2 available to testers via its private BetaPlace site.

Microsoft Checks Leaky Windows
Company says code published on Net has had no known impact on customers.
Joris Evers,
IDG News Service
Tuesday, February 24, 2004

Microsoft is conducting a security review of the Windows 2000 and NT 4.0 source code leaked onto the Internet earlier this month to determine if there is any risk to its customers, the company said Monday.

Microsoft, RSA Tie Up to Boost Security of Windows
Tue February 24, 2004 12:23 AM ET

SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. (MSFT.O: Quote, Profile, Research) and computer security vendor RSA Security Inc. (RSAS.O: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Tuesday that they would jointly release a new authentication technology using RSA's SecurID tokens to provide better password protection into Windows operating systems.

Microsoft Code Leak Invokes Issues Beyond Security

by Jay Lyman
www.TechNewsWorld.com,
Part of the ECT News Network
February 17, 2004


While the leak was limited to incomplete portions of the Windows 2000 and NT source code, Gartner research vice president Richard Stiennon told TechNewsWorld that the code is more than enough to enable attackers to punch holes in other Windows systems. It's sad that [the source code] was released, and it's sad it was written so [badly] from a security standpoint, he said.

Recovery Commander Gives XP the Boot
Backup utility expands on the features found in System Restore.
Lincoln Spector, special to PC World
Friday, February 13, 2004

What do you do if Windows 2000 and XP can't boot? V Communications has a solution: Recovery Commander, now available as a $40 download from the company's Web site.

Microsoft Searches for Source of Leak

Opinions on the origin and severity of leaked Windows code vary.
Paul Roberts and Joris Evers, IDG News Service
Friday, February 13, 2004

Microsoft continues to investigate the leak of some of the closely-guarded code underlying its Windows 2000 and Windows NT products. Meanwhile, Mainsoft, a partner company, is responding to allegations that it was the source of the leak.

Net File-Swappers Snap Up Windows Source Code
Fri February 13, 2004 03:50 PM ET
By Bernhard Warner and Lucas van Grinsven

LONDON/AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Internet users on Friday were ferociously downloading pirate versions of Microsoft Corp's Windows source code, stoking concerns hackers and virus writers could use it for a new wave of cyber attacks.

Windows XP's Big Security Fix
Our test drive suggests that Service Pack 2 is a keeper--assuming no incompatibilities.

Paul Thurrot
From the March 2004 issue of PC World magazine
Posted Thursday, February 05, 2004

If you've been longing for a more secure version of Windows, Windows XP Service Pack 2, due in mid-2004, should fit the bill. A response to the electronic attacks that crippled Windows PCs worldwide last year, Windows XP SP2 is a crucial upgrade centered on what Microsoft calls security technologies.