New Software Self-Defends From Viruses
Aug. 27 -- Who's responsible for big computer virus outbreaks such as the recent SoBig attack? Experts say the answer is — you.
Certainly, poorly-written code in major software programs such as Microsoft's Windows operating systems and balky computer technology can be exploited by hackers and evil-doers.
But computer security experts say irresponsible computer users themselves are often the weakest link in the chain. And they propose to take charge of the situation — by taking over.
For example, despite repeated warnings from the online security community, users are still opening suspicious e-mails. And they haven't been keeping up with the latest security patches.
As a result, virus attacks succeed in a big way. The SoBig virus, for instance, has managed to infect more than 100,000 computers worldwide since it was detected on Aug. 18.
Virus watchers like Keith Peer, president and chief operating officer of Central Command, Inc., an antivirus software maker in Medina, Ohio, have a name for the problem — "Glazing over."
Says Peer: "People have heard about the need to keep antivirus [software] up to date and not to open suspicious e-mails so often that they just glaze over whenever a new warning comes out. They just don't respond anymore."
Keeping Up-to-Date, Automatically
While security firms, anti-virus makers and software companies like Microsoft still press for better computer user education about online security concerns, some say to really help check the rising threat, software will have to get a bit smarter — and possibly more intrusive.
At Microsoft, for example, executives have been contemplating a change in a key feature in its Windows XP operating system called Auto Update. The current version downloads and installs the latest software fixes from Microsoft's Web computers only after users choose to activate it.
By contrast, the new version feature would allow computers running Windows XP to update automatically.
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