McAfee Threats Report: First Quarter 2012

[Aardvark]

On Thu, 31 May 2012 18:01:53 +0100, David_B wrote:

> How to Protect Your Computer

Format and install some Linux distro.

THE END.



--
"Tell me, truthfully, do *you* download music from The Pirate Bay for
your personal use and listening pleasure?"
Clever guy BD in post <gLidnTjP2tgGPy7SnZ2dnUVZ7qKdnZ2d@bt.com>

[FromTheRafters]

Aardvark wrote:
> On Thu, 31 May 2012 18:01:53 +0100, David_B wrote:
>
>> How to Protect Your Computer
>
> Format and install some Linux distro.
>
> THE END.

http://www.familysafemedia.com/fsm-power-stop.jpg

[David_B]

FromTheRafters wrote:
> Aardvark wrote:
>> On Thu, 31 May 2012 18:01:53 +0100, David_B wrote:
>>
>>> How to Protect Your Computer
>>
>> Format and install some Linux distro.
>>
>> THE END.
>
> http://www.familysafemedia.com/fsm-power-stop.jpg

Clever! ;-)

From your header: User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1;
en-US; rv:1.9.1.15) Gecko/20101027 SeaMonkey/2.0.10

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_NT_5.1 - That's Windows XP

Tell me, FTR, why are you not using a state-of-the-art Windows OS or, as
suggested by Aardvark, a version of Linux?

The current version of SeaMonkey is 2.9.1 - don't I remember you telling
me that one should invariably use the most recent versions of software?

One more thing! Of all the people *you* know in the real world, what
percentage of them use Linux? (a guess will do!)

TIA

[FromTheRafters]

David_B wrote:
> FromTheRafters wrote:
>> Aardvark wrote:
>>> On Thu, 31 May 2012 18:01:53 +0100, David_B wrote:
>>>
>>>> How to Protect Your Computer
>>>
>>> Format and install some Linux distro.
>>>
>>> THE END.
>>
>> http://www.familysafemedia.com/fsm-power-stop.jpg
>
> Clever! ;-)
>
> From your header: User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1;
> en-US; rv:1.9.1.15) Gecko/20101027 SeaMonkey/2.0.10
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_NT_5.1 - That's Windows XP
>
> Tell me, FTR, why are you not using a state-of-the-art Windows OS or, as
> suggested by Aardvark, a version of Linux?

I have WinME, Vista, Lucid Puppy (Linux), Linux Mandrake, and will be
trying Linux Mint soon as a replacement for WinME on my new old desktop
machine (probably a dual boot XP/Mint setup).

> The current version of SeaMonkey is 2.9.1 - don't I remember you telling
> me that one should invariably use the most recent versions of software?

Absolutely not! If you always get the newest stuff, you're always
exposed to whatever new exploits the new vulnerabilities in the new
features present. I feel one would be better off with a hardened
tried-and-true OS.

Keep up with security enhancements offered in upgrades, but you don't
need to upgrade just because of some added fluff features.

> One more thing! Of all the people *you* know in the real world, what
> percentage of them use Linux? (a guess will do!)

Less than one percent I think, I know a lot of non-technical people that
use Windows in RL. Online, most of the technically oriented folks I know
use both Linux and Windows (these are computer enthusiasts - hackers).
For those computer users (they just *use* computers for their work) that
aren't so technically oriented they use Windows or Macintosh.

I think you will see more and more people going to Linux as Microsoft
goes down the road toward special purpose (DRM) computing.

[David_B]

FromTheRafters wrote:
> David_B wrote:
>> FromTheRafters wrote:
>>> Aardvark wrote:
>>>> On Thu, 31 May 2012 18:01:53 +0100, David_B wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> How to Protect Your Computer
>>>>
>>>> Format and install some Linux distro.
>>>>
>>>> THE END.
>>>
>>> http://www.familysafemedia.com/fsm-power-stop.jpg
>>
>> Clever! ;-)
>>
>> From your header: User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1;
>> en-US; rv:1.9.1.15) Gecko/20101027 SeaMonkey/2.0.10
>>
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_NT_5.1 - That's Windows XP
>>
>> Tell me, FTR, why are you not using a state-of-the-art Windows OS or, as
>> suggested by Aardvark, a version of Linux?
>
> I have WinME, Vista, Lucid Puppy (Linux), Linux Mandrake, and will be
> trying Linux Mint soon as a replacement for WinME on my new old desktop
> machine (probably a dual boot XP/Mint setup).
>
>> The current version of SeaMonkey is 2.9.1 - don't I remember you telling
>> me that one should invariably use the most recent versions of software?
>
> Absolutely not! If you always get the newest stuff, you're always
> exposed to whatever new exploits the new vulnerabilities in the new
> features present. I feel one would be better off with a hardened
> tried-and-true OS.
>
> Keep up with security enhancements offered in upgrades, but you don't
> need to upgrade just because of some added fluff features.
>
>> One more thing! Of all the people *you* know in the real world, what
>> percentage of them use Linux? (a guess will do!)
>
> Less than one percent I think, I know a lot of non-technical people that
> use Windows in RL. Online, most of the technically oriented folks I know
> use both Linux and Windows (these are computer enthusiasts - hackers).
> For those computer users (they just *use* computers for their work) that
> aren't so technically oriented they use Windows or Macintosh.
>
> I think you will see more and more people going to Linux as Microsoft
> goes down the road toward special purpose (DRM) computing.

All taken on board, FTR. Thank you for taking the time and trouble to
answer comprehensively. It is much appreciated. :-)

I'm just wondering if *you* actually reviewed the McAfee report. Did
you? If so, do you have any specific point you might wish to discuss?

[Dustin]

David_B <David_B@nomail.afraid.org> wrote in
news:jqdhf2$89l$1@dont-email.me:

> I'm just wondering if *you* actually reviewed the McAfee report. Did
> you? If so, do you have any specific point you might wish to discuss?

How is one going to discuss any aspect of the article with you? You lack
the technical expertise to be able to answer any questions one may have
regarding it. Due to your lack of technical experience, you aren't able to
provide solid opinions with regard to any aspect of the article...

So please, do tell, what can one discuss from that article with you?


--
Character is doing the right thing when nobody's looking. There are too
many people who think that the only thing that's right is to get by, and
the only thing that's wrong is to get caught. - J.C. Watts

[FromTheRafters]

David_B wrote:
> FromTheRafters wrote:
>> David_B wrote:
>>> FromTheRafters wrote:
>>>> Aardvark wrote:
>>>>> On Thu, 31 May 2012 18:01:53 +0100, David_B wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> How to Protect Your Computer
>>>>>
>>>>> Format and install some Linux distro.
>>>>>
>>>>> THE END.
>>>>
>>>> http://www.familysafemedia.com/fsm-power-stop.jpg
>>>
>>> Clever! ;-)
>>>
>>> From your header: User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1;
>>> en-US; rv:1.9.1.15) Gecko/20101027 SeaMonkey/2.0.10
>>>
>>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_NT_5.1 - That's Windows XP
>>>
>>> Tell me, FTR, why are you not using a state-of-the-art Windows OS or, as
>>> suggested by Aardvark, a version of Linux?
>>
>> I have WinME, Vista, Lucid Puppy (Linux), Linux Mandrake, and will be
>> trying Linux Mint soon as a replacement for WinME on my new old desktop
>> machine (probably a dual boot XP/Mint setup).
>>
>>> The current version of SeaMonkey is 2.9.1 - don't I remember you telling
>>> me that one should invariably use the most recent versions of software?
>>
>> Absolutely not! If you always get the newest stuff, you're always
>> exposed to whatever new exploits the new vulnerabilities in the new
>> features present. I feel one would be better off with a hardened
>> tried-and-true OS.
>>
>> Keep up with security enhancements offered in upgrades, but you don't
>> need to upgrade just because of some added fluff features.
>>
>>> One more thing! Of all the people *you* know in the real world, what
>>> percentage of them use Linux? (a guess will do!)
>>
>> Less than one percent I think, I know a lot of non-technical people that
>> use Windows in RL. Online, most of the technically oriented folks I know
>> use both Linux and Windows (these are computer enthusiasts - hackers).
>> For those computer users (they just *use* computers for their work) that
>> aren't so technically oriented they use Windows or Macintosh.
>>
>> I think you will see more and more people going to Linux as Microsoft
>> goes down the road toward special purpose (DRM) computing.
>
> All taken on board, FTR. Thank you for taking the time and trouble to
> answer comprehensively. It is much appreciated. :-)
>
> I'm just wondering if *you* actually reviewed the McAfee report. Did
> you? If so, do you have any specific point you might wish to discuss?

I didn't follow the link. I read the intro that you posted, it's all
rather old news to me. I was surprised that they would include this news
as part of their report, but in all fairness it does relate to the
threat environment.