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Did Microsoft reach into your PC to stomp a botnet?

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Report claims the company turned off botnet software on users' PCs. Is that their right? (Image credit: REUTERS/Jason Redmond)

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  • Tim Greene

    Mostly Microsoft

    A Microsoft version of Android would be a nightmare for everybody by Tim Greene

    There’s talk about Microsoft embracing Android, either as a mobile OS topped by Windows features and services or by providing support for Android applications within Windows. The benefits in the first case include attracting smartphone users who are reluctant to use Windows Phone and who are further put off by the dearth of Windows Phone apps. +[Also on Network World: What Microsoft did right and wrong in 20137 things on Microsoft's 2014 to-do listBenefits of the second again...

  • Ms. Smith Privacy and Security Fanatic

    Privacy and Security Fanatic

    Senator Rand Paul sues President Obama over NSA phone surveillance by Ms Smith

    During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing today, the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board discussed their 238-page report [pdf] that found the "telephone records collected by the NSA under its Section 215 program" has "shown minimal value in safeguarding the nation from terrorism. Based on the information provided to the Board, including classified briefings and documentation, we have not identified a single instance involving a threat to the United States in which the program made a...

  • Ms. Smith Privacy and Security Fanatic

    Privacy and Security Fanatic

    7 on Patch Tuesday: Microsoft adds 2 critical security updates for IE, Windows by Ms Smith

    Microsoft added two security bulletins yesterday, bringing the total to seven, with four critical updates and three updates rated important.Before we jump to the suggested deployment priorities and more about today's patches, because today is Safer Internet Day, Microsoft also launched an interactive Safer Online website. The company is asking people to "Do 1 Thing" to help make the Internet a safer place. Today's Microsoft Security Response Center post suggested your one thing, other than...

  • Microsoft Explorer

    Even as a top target, Microsoft's security is impressive by Andy Patrizio

    Despite having four PC operating systems to support (which will be reduced to three in two months), three server operating systems, and a smartphone OS, not to mention a lot of popular apps, Microsoft is doing a fairly good job of keeping up with the threats against its products.A new study just published by GFI Labs shows where the threats were in 2013, and as you would expect, Microsoft shows up on all of the various platforms and apps, though it's not alone.In 2013, Microsoft fixed a total...

  • Ms. Smith Privacy and Security Fanatic

    Privacy and Security Fanatic

    Microsoft to offer free 8GB of OneDrive storage if you refer friends by Ms Smith

    Rumors circulated about Microsoft's plan to rebrand Office Web Apps as Office Online, but it's no longer a rumor since Microsoft has a new "Choose your Office" webpage that compares the free Office Online to two paid versions of Office.The freebie version includes online versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote, as well as 7GB of free online storage. It's not live yet; when you click to learn more about Office Online, you jump to a page still using the older names of Office Web Apps and...

  • Microsoft Explorer

    A once-great app for iTunes bites the dust by Andy Patrizio

    UPDATED: Late last year I slapped around TuneUp Media for completely botching the 3.0 release of its excellent TuneUp software, which helped clean up and organize your music library in iTunes, fixing tags, music info, cover art, and more.At the time, the company was in a meltdown. The 3.0 release was getting the company excoriated on its Facebook page, to the point that it had to release the older 2.4 version without a mandatory update to 3.0.I decided to see if they've gotten their act...

  • Ms. Smith Privacy and Security Fanatic

    Privacy and Security Fanatic

    Security expert publishes details behind NBC's 'fraudulent' Sochi hacking story by Ms Smith

    NBC News seems to think that "regular" users visiting the Sochi Winter Olympics go out of their way to ignore software updates, disregard security patches, and actively engage in unsafe online behavior. Some users may be slower to patch, or to allow software to update, but they would first have had to actively choose different default settings, as Windows and most common software wants to automatically download and install updates. If that is the case, the attacks could successfully happen...

  • Marco Chiappetta

    Microsoft Insights

    For Microsoft, simply ending CEO hunt is a good move by Marco Chiappetta

    By now, you’ve all probably heard that Microsoft has chosen its third CEO, Satya Nadella, a 22-year veteran of the company who most recently held the position of President of the Server & Tools division. Satya, however, has also been VP of the Research and Development for the Online Services Division, the Business Division, and the Cloud and Enterprise group, among a couple of other positions. I mention his most recent titles to illustrate the diversity of Satya’s background; it seems he...

  • Ms. Smith Privacy and Security Fanatic

    Privacy and Security Fanatic

    EFF on cyber attack against hacktivists: CFAA for you; impunity for feds by Ms Smith

    A secret Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) spy unit engaged in online attacks against the hacktivist groups Anonymous and LulzSec. Whether or not you support hacktivisim or believe Anonymous was in the right, one of the most worrying aspects to come out of the Snowden-leaked presentation is that if a non-government person were to have carried out such cyber attacks, then they could face jail time under the flawed Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA). According to an NBC...

  • Microsoft Explorer

    What Satya Nadella should do as CEO by Andy Patrizio

    Microsoft ended its long, tortured CEO search yesterday by choosing an insider after looking at a half dozen or more outsiders. Satya Nadella, the 20-year veteran who came to Microsoft from Sun Microsystems back when Sun was an enterprise player and Microsoft was not (at least on the back end), got the nod.No doubt this will be the source of much pride among Indian-Americans to see one of their own taking the helm of the biggest software firm in the world, and they should be proud. He's done...

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