Google bans Microsoft Windows on office computers

[El Fiendo]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technolog...computers.html
http://www.gadgetsnreviews.com/googl...imes/1495.html

"I don't think it's fair to say that Linux and Mac OS X are more secure than Windows, but I do think it's reasonable to claim that they're safer because of the much smaller number of attacks that target the platforms," said Graham Cluley, a senior technology consultant with security specialists Sophos.

Sounds like Google has their security down pat. Oh except for the fact that the hackers would have gotten in anyways as it was a deliberate attack and not a crime of opportunity. If the same method didn't work, they'd have only used a different one. Also, they fell prey to a phishing e-mail so they ban an OS? Your idiot workers are still going to be idiots and click those links no matter the OS.

[digibucc]

Security experts believe the hackers exploited a loophole in Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser to hack in to the Gmail accounts of human rights activists and Chinese dissidents.

phishing? that's not phishing, that is hacking. switching their oses would stop windows specific vulnerabilities in software from allowing a hacker to steal your account info.

the real question is - google employees use internet explorer? aaaghh

quote from the first link you gave.

[jmcslob]

LOL you would think they'd be using Chrome and not IE

[exodusprime1337]

Originally Posted by jmcslob

LOL you would think they'd be using Chrome and not IE

right.. that's odd they don't even use their own browser hehe

[niko084]

Mac Os is VIRUS/HACKER PROOF!!!

Just ask most apple sales guys or their marketing team.
Seesh where have you guys been?!?!?!?

:ROLL:

[El Fiendo]

Originally Posted by digibucc

phishing? that's not phishing, that is hacking. switching their oses would stop windows specific vulnerabilities in software from allowing a hacker to steal your account info.

the real question is - google employees use internet explorer? aaaghh

quote from the first link you gave.

Google says different.

Third, as part of this investigation but independent of the attack on Google, we have discovered that the accounts of dozens of U.S.-, China- and Europe-based Gmail users who are advocates of human rights in China appear to have been routinely accessed by third parties. These accounts have not been accessed through any security breach at Google, but most likely via phishing scams or malware placed on the users' computers.

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/...-to-china.html

I don't really care on the specifics, lol. Still a BS move on Google to ban Windows.

[FordGT90Concept]

A company like Google most likely has real hackers going after their data, not just random viruses. They'll encounter the same type of directed assaults no matter what OS they use. I think they really need to fire that guy and find someone who really knows about cybersecurity (like the fact any computer connected to a network is a potential security hole).

[wahdangun]

are they don't even know that MAC is MORE EASY to hack than windows 7 ?

[digibucc]

Originally Posted by wahdangun

are they don't even know that MAC is MORE EASY to hack than windows 7 ?

would you care to further delve into this claim that mac is easier to hack than windows? where does this idea come from?

a secure mac system is unix based - which is more time tested secure than windows NT base...

if the mac itself is not as secure - still, i find that claim a little overextended....

[DrPepper]

Originally Posted by digibucc

would you care to further delve into this claim that mac is easier to hack than windows? where does this idea come from?

a secure mac system is unix based - which is more time tested secure than windows NT base...

if the mac itself is not as secure - still, i find that claim a little overextended....

There was a hacking contest and a mac osx was hacked faster than win7. Anyway, the best security would be a custom OS or something.

[entropy13]

Two Houses arguing about which is more hackable?

[DrPepper]

Originally Posted by entropy13

Two Houses arguing about which is more hackable?

It's a hallucination.

[DRDNA]

pretty tuff to hack up win 7 if left a default security settings...Especially if the employees were given a 30 minute instructions on what to expect from win 7 and its security.

[Black Panther]

They will soon be using their own operating system. They first mentioned it July 09 but it's supposed to be launched next fall.

[a_ump]

yep, it was at PWN2OWN that OS X was the first OS to get hacked through safari if i recall. Google chrome is also the only web browser at that contest to go 2 yrs un-hacked.

[Trigger911]

There are a lot of holes in the mac os and unix. If your running stock installs MACs are the easist Unix system I have had the pleasure to pen test .... my boss has a power book I have cron jobs that report what Ip and such he is on and it reports to me.

[tigger]

Lmao so what they gonna use linux or a dreaded apple pos.

[a_ump]

maybe there own OS? we haven't seen it yet but it wouldn't surprise me for them to have a working version in their lil HQ buildings lol

[entropy13]

Originally Posted by a_ump

maybe there own OS? we haven't seen it yet but it wouldn't surprise me for them to have a working version in their lil HQ buildings lol

Maybe Chrome OS. But from what I know it's far from ready.

Here's Microsoft's response:
http://windowsteamblog.com/windows/b...-straight.aspx

[digibucc]

it really comes down to market share. no system is unbreakable or uncrackable - it just takes time and resources. as with any undertaking, resources should be funneled toward a specific end - either a specific system for a specific reason , or more commonly , the most widely used system.

it's a good thing there are systems that are totally separate, from scratch - that require completely different coding to penetrate. if the market share was 33/33/33 (windows/nix/mac) , we'd probably see even less major spy/virii.

but as soon as a system gains market share, it proportionally gains hackers, crackers etc trying to learn how and to violate their security.

[Kreij]

While an interesting development in the world of internet company's policies and politics, this is not relevant to this section in that it is not a question or discussion about software so much as a company's decision to use software.

Thanks for your thought.

[Trigger911]

I would make them use chrome and all the workers could be used to de-bug the os faster as its all in house

[Pembo210]

Originally Posted by a_ump

yep, it was at PWN2OWN that OS X was the first OS to get hacked through safari if i recall. Google chrome is also the only web browser at that contest to go 2 yrs un-hacked.

2008 Mac hacked in 2 minutes


2009 Mac hacked in 10 seconds!!


Here is the PWN2OWN website

Of course people don't make viruses for Macs. There's no need to when you can just take over everything in 10 seconds through their awesome browser. They can completely lock you out and steal everything.

[El Fiendo]

Originally Posted by Kreij

While an interesting development in the world of internet company's policies and politics, this is not relevant to this section in that it is not a question or discussion about software so much as a company's decision to use software.

Thanks for your thought.

I wasn't sure what category to put it in, but I didn't think it belonged on generalnonsense.net. Perhaps there should be a user submitted news section that covers tech related developments such as this?

[panchoman]

I think this is a good move by google.

why?

face it: over 98% of viruses target windows. there are so many exploits to be found on the windows platform. while most are patched over time, it is a difficult task to deploy security patches to large amounts of employees and make sure they are installed and functional.

Google is making a statement to microsoft: we don't need your operating system. we have our own - and soon the consumer will have it.

the validity of this statement is true- google actually has 3 different operating systems that it uses -

-it uses a secret operating system not based on windows mac or linux to run it's web servers and cloud computing architecture.

-almost half of google's employees have been using a non-microsoft operating system for a long time. Google uses it's own ubuntu/debian based operating system referred to as goobuntu. google develops many patches and applications for ubuntu. they also have many internal applications used on their goobuntu machines used for security and the like. I personally have seen goobuntu in action - it has similarities to ubuntu, but is really different in other aspects.

- google chrome os - google is developing it's own operating system for the end consumer - in order to market their own products, they must relinquish reliance on it's competitors. it's ironic that microsoft presentations are done via keynote on a mac..

Overall - this was a good move by google - it makes windows look bad, and strengthens google. completely switching over to goobuntu will allow google to be safer, and better manage their network.