Posted by Virus Bulletin on Oct 3, 2006
Newspaper ad attacks Microsoft plans.
McAfee has joined Symantec on the warpath against Microsoft's plans for its forthcoming Vista release of Windows. In a full-page advertisement taken out in the Financial Times, the security firm accused Microsoft of shutting it and other security vendors out of vital parts of the new OS.
After Symantec recently lobbied the EU over unfair practices, McAfee has added its weight to the argument, criticising both the lack of access provided to the Windows Security Center and the PatchGuard kernel protection system, to be included in 64-bit versions and denying AV and other scanner software a method of hooking file access.
Microsoft is said to have 'hamstrung' the security industry and is accused of 'leveraging' its kernel access to lock out other vendors, leaving users less secure. The Redmond giant has suffered a wave of security issues in past weeks, and McAfee pointed out exploits already in existence for the Vista kernel.
The issue could lead to further anti-trust issues for Microsoft, and possibly even further delays in the release of Vista.
Posted on 03 October 2006 by Virus Bulletin
