Microsoft Corp. did an about-face yesterday, agreeing to make it easier for customers of its forthcoming Vista operating system to use outside security vendors, such as those who make popular antivirus and anti-spyware programs.
[snip]
The company said that blocking the core of area of the operating system was also meant to enhance the performance of the entire computer, noting that unsupported access by outside software programs could affect the overall stability of the machine.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/13/AR2006101301280.html
I would hope there will be an option to turn on that level of security for people who don’t want other programs mucking around that level…
joe
The problem is even if there’s a way to turn the protection back on , how do you stop 3rd party programs (including viruses in that third party program list) from disabling it again?
I’d like to see Microsoft’s words on this one, because it could just as easily be explained by Microsoft giving Symantec et al more input to the Security Center, rather than disabling Patchguard. This isn’t in a technology journal, after all, and even if it was, they aren’t the best at providing correct information either.
More light on this decission gives article from International Herald Tribune:
http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/10/13/yourmoney/msft.php
European Commission can stop Vista in europe of put another huge fine on Microsoft. This is from “political” standpoint.
I will wait to see more technical details about it.
Alun: I think Symantec has all kind of input to security center at this time. I think they are requiring access to system kernel, because they used to write their software in this way.
Sorry for another comment on the same topic – Alun: from this article at TechWeb:
http://www.techweb.com/wire/security/193300261;jsessionid=DHONMBZWQXALKQSNDLOSKH0CJUNN2JVN
it looks like Patchguard stays at its place.