[Am-info] Microsoft 'patches' tear at computer users' good will

[Mitch Stone]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/85063_patch02.shtml

Microsoft 'patches' tear at computer users' good will

Monday, September 2, 2002

By BOB KEEFE
COX NEWS SERVICE

Microsoft Corp. has found yet another security hole in its software, which 
runs more than 90 percent of the world's computers.

By itself, the latest flaw isn't much better or worse than the other 47 
security problems Microsoft has disclosed this year. Hackers could 
potentially exploit the newly discovered flaw to misdirect Internet 
shoppers and trick them into divulging sensitive information such as 
credit card numbers or bank accounts, but doing so wouldn't be easy.

The bigger problem for most computer users is the sheer number of flaws 
coming from Microsoft. Each time one is found, Microsoft issues a software 
"patch" that it recommends be downloaded and installed. Last year, 
Microsoft issued 60 patches. On occasion, it has had to issue patches for 
the patches themselves.

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