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October 19, 2006

Vista Kernel - Security Companies Whine

With improved security being one of the biggest goals for Windows, Microsoft developed PatchGuard to protect the operating system kernel in it's 64 bit edition of Windows Vista. PatchGuard was designed to provide another strong layer of security for it's operating system, but now Symantec and Mcafee, two of the larger security vendors, have complained that it isn't fair because they want access to the kernel for their own security products, and that Microsoft is hurting the competition and creating and unfair advantage for its own products.

It seems as if these companies really want a less secure operating system, so that they will be able to sell their products. As both Symantec and Mcafee have had issues in the past with their own products being compromised, this means that Windows Vista's security will become dependent on the integrity of these third party solutions. Instead of working with Microsoft to find a better way to ensure security for Windows, it seems it is easier for these companies to whine to the European Commision and use the word 'antitrust' in order for them to get what they want.

Many power users of Windows refuse to use Symantec or Mcafee products because of their tendency to be resource hogs and the fact that they seem to cause conflicts with other Windows programs, yet these two companies certainly seem to have the corner on the security market when it comes to their products being preinstalled by so many OEM vendors. As a result, it is becoming more commonplace that many independent computer service companies will routinely uninstall Symantec and Mcafee products as a matter of course when setting up new systems for their customers. Maybe if they made a better product to begin with, they wouldn't feel so threatened by Microsoft!

Many of the other complaints leveled against Microsoft lately have been groundless, such as saying that Microsoft is cutting out third party vendors by promoting their own security products in Vista's new Welcome Center - this simply is not true. It has been well known for quite a while that OEM's will have the ability to customize parts of the Welcome Center and promote any third party vendors that they want to. Yet accusations such as these are just more fuel to the 'antitrust' fire which has been fanned by the media.

Posted by jrfree1 at October 19, 2006 06:03 AM