ScuzzBlog: Diaries May 2017
Entry 15th May 2017: Post: 3
Patching hell
Hi
I refused point blank to use my XP machine the day that Windows dropped
the support. With the trapdoor fully open on these machines with a
necessity to have the internet connectivity active all the time I just
didn't feel comfortable without the guards at the gate. So I dumped the
machine. I also took all my other XP machines off line and killed the
network in terms of it being linked to the formal internet.
At the time I told the powers at be at work that we should kill off the
XP machines. But they ignored me. AutoUpdates had to be disabled cus the
machine would go into an endless spin when the computers tried to check.
The accounts machines were all running XP and also remote machines to
accounts support also ran XP. That is how it was right up to the day I
left. I would not be at all surprised that they still were not using the
XP machines for day to day operations. Madness... pure madness.
I see that Microsoft are keen to advise of the risks of not patching and
more so the issue of the vulnerability of the OS. I have my own opinions
of the way Windows handled their upgrades, which I will not discuss as I
need my breakfast. BUT, one thing I will say is 'the internet is not
safe'. I don't care what anyone says. Nothing is safe. None of the
security measures are foolproof and I recall a long long time ago a guy
writing in a magazine stating that no matter how many security measures
you put in place there will always be a some way to break the system. He
also said that trusting the internet with your private details was just
stupid.
In truth the bigger problem is the user, any user, just one user. A worm
can get in through the most idiotic of ways and then you're stuffed. And
that moment of weakness can cost you everything. The ones that are worse
are the ones that work in the background without ever becoming noticed.
This latest one is a bit blunt, buy hey, I'm sure Microsoft will again
be telling the powers at be that they alone should be allowed to police
the internet and everyone should pay a fee for an official licence to
use the internet, and probably pay by the minute for the privilege. All
it would take is one mad capped leader from a world power to wake up
finding his Twitter account had been crapped on and I guess he might
ring MS and give them the green light. Dunno.. I sense its coming, I
really do.
scuzz
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