Microsoft Silently Backs Favorable Presentation at RSA

lildogie writes "Two researchers, from the Florida Institute of Technology and Boston-based Security Innovation Inc., 'surprised the audience at a computer-security convention last month with their finding that a version of Microsoft Windows was more secure than a competing Linux operating system' according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. 'This week, the researchers released their finished report, and it included another surprise: Microsoft was funding the project all along.' When will they ever learn?"

Wait what?

[failure-man]

People will say whatever you want if you give them lots of money? Impudence!

Should be from....

[Anonymous Coward]

The article should be from the 'well-duh' dept.

Re:The *real* reason Microsoft sucks...

[failure-man]

Who modded this troll? Does Microsoft pay to mod down anti-fud too?

Not news!

[IGnatius T Foobar]

Our other top story today: President Bush's approval rating is higher than ever, mainly because consumers are very happy about rising oil and gas prices ... reports FOX News.

Pfft

[irritus]

You guys are too skeptical. So MS paid for the study that found them to be safer. That doesn't mean a thing. Seriously, give up the paranoia and trust your fellow human beings for a change. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to draw up plans for a toll both. A nice fellow in a trenchcoat just sold me the deed to the Brooklyn Bridge.

I didn't see it comming

[essreenim]

..because I'm blind and I have the MS window tatooed on my ass.

Isn't it that obvious?

[IvanD]

Test #1 Intruders are capable of taking control over the computer. Results: Linux: The system was finally hacked (after leaving the root/administrative account w/o a password, which seems fair to windows) Windows: The system crashed... nobody was able to take control! Analysis and conclusions: Windows is much better!

Re:The *real* reason Microsoft sucks...

[ggvaidya]

I think GP was saying "who modded this 'troll'". On slashdot, you always have to look really hard to see punctuation :P ...

Re:MS should just create their own Linux

[Anonymous Coward]

MS should just create their own Linux and make it as insecure as they want.

That shouldn't be hard at all. MS has demonstrated that it has more than enough of the skills and talent to do that. :)

Re:This is the article

[bird603568]

Thats why when you wardrive, you have to dangle the antenna out the window or get a magnetic mount. I never keep the antenna in side the car. And when i use the phone in the car, i point the antenna out the window.

also i wear a tinfoil hat.

Imagine what would have happened if they did.

[khasim]

If they did reveal their funding during the RSA presentation .......

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/212384_msft linux17.html [nwsource.com]

Linux vs Windows Security
(a Microsoft production)

Thompson and Ford walk on onto the stage.

Thompson: "My name is Thompson and I love Microsoft."

Ford: "My name is Ford and I love Linux. Hey Thompson, how many Microsoft programmers does it take to change a light bulb?"

T: "I don't know, Ford. How many Microsoft programmers DOES it take to change a light bulb?"

F: "None. They just declare dark to be the new standard. Ha ha!"

T: "Ha .... How about we do some of our 'research' to find out who has better security then?"

F: "Sure. I am sure that Linux will have better security than Windows, after all, I am Ford and I love Linux."

T: "Because we are security professionals, we will choose only the default settings of both systems. Is that okay with you my fellow security expert?"

F: "Yes, we should only choose the default settings because we are security experts."

T: "And then we should count how many security patches were released and how long it took to release them (after the public announcement)."

F: "That sounds like a very reasonable and fair way to determine who has better security. We should only count the days and number of vulnerabilities. We should under no circumstances do any comparision of vulnerabilities or determination of actual attack vulnerability. That would be very difficult and I'm only a Ph.D."

T: "Yes, that would be very difficult for I also am only a Ph.D. But even this limited scope will be expensive. In only we had someone willing to fund our 'research'."

Bill Gates walks on stage with a huge cardboard check.

BG: "Hi! I heard about your 'independant' 'research' project and I thought I'd give you some money to fund it. But please do not feel that this in any way obligates you to find that Windows is superior in every way to Linux. byacceptingthischeckyouagreethatallfindingswillber estrictedtomicrosoftsapprovalandallfindingswillreq uiremicrosoftsapprovalbeforebeingpublished"

F: "What was that last part?"

T: "Never mind. It can't be that important if he said it so fast. How about we make a small wager on the outcome of this Microsoft funded research program concerning Linux vs Windows security?"

F: "Of course. I will bet $20 that Linux is more secure than Windows. After all, I hardly see how Linux can lose a security comparision in a Microsoft funded 'research' program." winks at audience.

T: "I agree. This 'research' will be completely independant and verifiable."

F: "On with the counting!"

Both of them pull out calculators and furiously punch buttons.

F: "Oh the shame! How could I ever be so WRONG?!?"

T: "It does seem that our Microsoft funded 'research' has determined that Win2003 is more secure than Linux."

F: "Yes, the fact that Red Hat took longer to release patches for publicly known vulnerabilities in software included in our default installations does show that I was wrong about Linux being superior to Win2003."

T: "Once again, when you ... Get The Facts ... you find that Windows isn't as bad as the urban myths would have you believe. It's actually more secure than Linux." smiles at audience.

This has been a dramatization of an actual event.

We would like to thank Microsoft and Bill Gates for their generous contribution without which this "research" could not have been possible (it costs a lot of money looking up vulnerabilities on a website).

Academic Survival

[DrTime]

I applaud the university for this study. Academic research is all about how to get more funding. This study shows they have been taught well. Getting more funding is more important than the study itself. I see follow up studies.