Mark's Notebook


	If Jesus Christ were to come today, people would not even crucify him. They would ask him to dinner, and hear what he had to say, and make fun of him. - Thomas Carlyle

Software meant to protect PCs are now attack targets

Business Week

Tuesday 21 June 2005, 11:07 am
Keywords: Computer Topics , News Articles

Think you're safe because your computer has the latest antivirus program, complete with daily updates via the Web? Or maybe you figure the firewall you have installed will stop malicious software from reaching your machine.

Well, you may not be as secure as you think. Hackers are increasingly finding flaws in the very programs designed to prevent attacks -- computer-security software.

A new Yankee Group report, to be released June 20, shows the number of vulnerabilities found in security products increasing sharply for the third straight year -- and for the first time surpassing those found in all Microsoft (MSFT ) products. The majority of these weaknesses are found by researchers, academics, and security companies. Trouble is, hackers then take those findings and use it for nefarious purposes.

Symantec has had the most reported vulnerabilities, with 16 documented last year. McAfee, the second-largest security player, decreased its vulnerabilities over the last year. This is a leading indicator of the relative quality of the two products, some argue.

More:
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jun2005/tc20050617_1613_tc024.htm