Computerworld – Microsoft will allow users of Windows 8 Pro to downgrade their new PCs to Windows 7 or even Vista, according to the operating system’s licensing agreement.
Not surprisingly, users may not downgrade to the still-used-but-slated-for-retirement Windows XP.
Downgrade rights — which let customers replace a newer version of Windows with an older edition without paying for two copies — are available only in Windows 8 Pro. That fits with previous practice: Only Windows 7 Professional, for instance, was allocated downgrade rights.
“Instead of using the Windows 8 Pro software, you may use one of the following earlier versions: Windows 7 Professional or Windows Vista Business,” states the software license agreement for the version of Windows 8 Pro that will be installed by computer makers (OEMs) on new PCs.
Windows XP Professional, which was one of the allowed downgrades for Windows 7 Professional, was not named. Windows XP will fall off Microsoft’s support list in April 2014.
One licensing expert noticed XP was AWOL.
“So no downgrade rights to XP. Also note that the soon-to-come Office 2013 will not support XP. So we can see they are trying to strangle the life out of XP,” said Kenny Chan, a technology specialist for CDW, in message earlier this month on a Linkedin thread dedicated to Microsoft licensing professionals.
“What I don’t know is how long Microsoft will keep XP available for download on VLSC for volume licensing customers after the debut of Windows 8,” Chan added. VLSC (Volume License Service Center) is the online portal for companies that have signed volume licensing agreements with Microsoft.
Unlike consumers or small businesses, corporations armed with enterprise licensing agreements, including the annuity-like Software Assurance, are allowed to downgrade from any version of Windows to any previous edition.
Downgrade rights became noteworthy after Windows Vista’s 2007 launch when many users, frustrated at that edition’s problems, mutinied and dropped back to XP.
Traditionally, downgrade rights are available only from OEM copies of Windows, those that are pre-installed by computer manufacturers. It looks to be the same with Windows 8: The software license for the retail version of Windows 8 Pro omitted the section on downgrades.
As with earlier downgrade rights, the customer is responsible for obtaining the installation media for the older operating system.
“Neither the manufacturer or installer, nor Microsoft, is obligated to supply earlier versions to you,” read the licensing agreement. “You must obtain the earlier version separately.”
However, unless Microsoft changes policies, OEMs will be able to offer new Windows 8 Pro PCs that are downgraded to, for example, Windows 7 Professional, at the factory. Computer makers will also be able to continue to sell Windows 7-powered PCs for up to two years after the debut of Windows 8 — in other words, until late Oct. 2014.
For the latter, customers who later want to upgrade to Windows 8 must pay for the upgrade. That’s not the case with a PC purchased with Windows 8 Pro that has been downgraded to Windows 7 Professional (or Vista Business).
“At any time, you may replace an earlier version with Windows 8 Pro,” read Microsoft’s licensing agreement.
Do-it-yourself downgrades will be more complex with Windows 8, however, as users must first modify the PC’s BIOS to boot into what’s called “legacy mode.” By default, Windows 8 will use UEFI-mode (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) boot on new PCs to enable some new features, including Secure Boot.
Notebooks, desktops and other devices powered by Windows 8 Pro will go on sale Oct. 26.
With so much modern technology and everything on computers today, the role of the IT (Information Technology) manager is crucial to the operation of almost any company in the world. Up until perhaps 35-40 years ago, only hospitals and some mega conglomerates such as the DuPont Company were using computers, and the mainframe or core of the system took up the better part of an entire room with meticulous temperature control a requirement because of the intricacy of the tapes that were used to store the information. With minimal software for detecting any problems, the work of the Systems Analyst were pertinent to keeping the system running.
Although the computer has evolved from having a huge computer network that runs the system to that of a CPU on each desk, the work of the IT manager has not diminished by any means. In fact, it may be an even great responsibility today because of the amount of software that companies reply upon in the course of daily business. With word processing, spreadsheets, presentation software, accounting programs, and even that of online meetings, it’s pertinent that all systems be running at peak efficiency. That means that the job of the IT manager is not only required but also must be enhanced to meet the demands of a changing world.
In smaller companies, the job of an IT manager may evolve into a 24-hour a day job, but with larger companies where there are likely to be IT technicians as well, the IT manager may not be such a round-the-clock position. Even he may not physically be on duty that much, he is on call in the event that something happens that requires his expertise or approval. After all, the IT manager must make sure that all of the systems within the company are running properly and are upgraded as appropriately. Within a larger company, the IT manager will supervise the IT technicians who do the actual work, but will be available for consultation as necessary.
The IT manager will also approve and implement requests for new computers and equipment as well as approving and setting up new users and deleting those who have left the company. He also must be sure that employees have only the access they need and that they follow the policies for security protection such as protecting passwords and not attempting to enter websites that are forbidden by company policy. In short, the IT manager makes sure that all systems are running efficiently and all policies are followed precisely.
Sophos – By James Lyne, Director of Technology Strategy
Technology in the network security space has been through many dramatic changes recently. New mobile operating systems, growing use of personal devices, and SaaS (software-as-a-service) delivery make securing the network a growing challenge. Enhancements in the network infrastructure that connect devices within or across the network make all these developments possible. We’re seeing ever faster network connections, more remote users, and extensive upgrades to mobile networks. We need to think about security policies and where and how to provide protection. Below are the eight trends we think will impact network security and your security strategy.
1. Mobile networks, VPNs and roaming users
Today’s connect-from-anywhere road warriors regularly test the traditional boundaries of network security. Firewalls are increasingly porous as employees access services from devices such as iPads, Android phones, tablets and PCs, all of which require security that mirrors but also improves upon PC solutions. Extending connectivity to small branch or home offices is also a focus for many organizations. Your network strategy needs to consider how to secure access across platforms over an expanding network perimeter.
2. Targeted attacks and APTs
APTs (or advanced persistent threats) represent the next generation of Internet crimeware. For years network security capabilities such as web filtering or IPS played a key part in identifying such attacks (mostly after the initial compromise). As attackers grow bolder and employ more evasive techniques, network security must integrate with other security services to detect attacks. We’ll need to evolve security capabilities in response to these threats in the coming years.
3. Consumerization and BYOD
Consumerization and the BYOD (bring your own device) movement means consumer devices like iPads, iPhones and Android phones are moving onto the corporate network. To deal with consumerization, your security strategy needs to focus on network security for devices where an endpoint agent may not have been deployed, or may not be functioning properly.
For example, if a user connects with a Mac running malicious code, your network security layer should be able to identify that the device is attempting to retrieve malicious code updates or other suspicious activities and be able to identify and remediate it. Otherwise you may not find out until you’re already infected, and remediation can only happen after the fact. Consumerization and BYOD increase the importance of alignment between your various security layers, particularly those at the network layer.
4. Web application and web server protection
The threat of attacks on web applications to extract data or to distribute malicious code persists. Cybercriminals distribute their malicious code via legitimate web servers they’ve compromised. But data-stealing attacks, many of which get the attention of media, are also a big threat. Organizations used to focus security investment on PCs and preventing conventional malware from spreading to them and onto the network. Now, you need a greater emphasis on protecting web servers and web applications. Similar challenges lie ahead for emerging technologies such as HTML5, (see our article HTML5 and Security on the New Web for more information on this trend).
5. IPv6: Major surgery for the Internet
IPv6 is the new Internet protocol replacing IPv4, long the backbone of our networks in general and the Internet at large. Protecting IPv6 is not just a question of porting IPv4 capabilities. While IPv6 is a wholesale replacement in making more IP addresses available, there are some very fundamental changes to the protocol which need to be considered in security policy. Whether your organization adopts it later rather than sooner, make sure that IPv6 is on your network security agenda. For more on IPv6, check out our article Why Switch to IPv6.
6. Contending with cloud services
Small, medium and large enterprises are beginning to adopt cloud services and SaaS at a greater rate. This trend presents a big challenge for network security, as traffic can go around traditional points of inspection. Additionally, as the number of applications available in the cloud grows, policy controls for web applications and cloud services will also need to evolve.
For example, which users should be able to interface with which services? Who should be able to post data, and who should have read-only privileges? While cloud services are developing their own security models, they will still need to be harmonized with your own strategy to avoid multiplication of password, permissions and other security infrastructure concerns. To be sure, the cloud represents a great opportunity. But as the cloud evolves, so too must network security.
7. More encryption
Encryption at every level protects the privacy and integrity of data. We’re increasingly deploying encryption at every layer. However, more use of encryption will bring more challenges for network security devices. For example, how will your network DLP (data loss prevention) inspect traffic which is encrypted end-to-end as it accesses a certain cloud service? Collaboration between the network and the endpoint to deliver complete security in scenarios like this will be critical. You need to have a network security strategy that integrates your network security with other layers of security such as endpoint, web protection and mobile devices.
8. The elastic network
The network perimeter is expanding like an elastic to include high speed 4G and LTE networks, wireless access points, branch offices, home offices, roaming users, cloud services, and third parties accessing your applications and data to perform services. These changes to the size, scope and surface of your network can lead to misconfiguration or change control errors that could lead to security breaches. You’ll need security solutions you can consistently deploy at each device or point of infrastructure. And you need central management to keep on top of the dynamics of this elastic infrastructure and the various layers of security at each endpoint.
Motorola Mobility today filed a new patent-infringement suit against Apple and seeks to block imports of many foreign-made products such as the iPad,iPhone,iPod Touch, and some Macs.
According to
Bloomberg, Motorola, owned by Google, filed the suit in hopes that it could reach an agreement with Apple on their many existing patent disputes. In a statement to CNET, Motorola Mobility said that, “We would like to settle these patent matters, but Apple’s unwillingness to work out a license leaves us little choice but to defend ourselves and our engineers’ innovations.”
The request to block imports into the United States of Apple’s hugely successful products is a stark bargaining position, and it’s hard to imagine any court granting Motorola’s request. “This means Google’s strategy to addressAndroid‘s serious intellectual-property issues — Android-based devices have already been held by courts in different jurisdictions to infringe, among other things, nine valid Apple patents — is further escalation in hopes of such developments forcing cross-license agreements or mutual covenants not to sue,” wrote blog Foss Patents.
Motorola’s move is just the latest in a multiyear series of back-and-forth patent suits between it and Apple. “The announcement of this new complaint may be driven in part by a desire to demonstrate that Motorola isn’t finished even if its first…complaint against Apple may fail,” Foss Patents wrote. “Another possible motivation on Google’s part is that the acquisition of Motorola Mobility has not been money well spent so far. And a third reason could be that Apple has the upper hand in its dispute with Samsung, and may receive a favorable verdict…which would call into question Google’s ability to bring about the patent peace it promised a year ago when it announced the Motorola deal.”
Microsoft is expected to build a little more than 3 million Surface tablets, market researcher IDC told CNET. An IDC analyst also offered his views on the likelihood of a $199 version of the tablet.
Production plans are for a few million units for calendar 2012, said IDC analyst Bob O’Donnell in a phone interview. “Probably a little over 3 million, both [Intel] x86 and ARM,” he said. Surface RT is built around ARM processors and will not support older “legacy” software that runs onWindows 7. Intel-based Surface will run Windows 8 Pro that does run legacy software.
“If they build a few million units there’s no way they can sell it through Microsoft store only,” he said, referring to Microsoft’s current plan. “So I think that they’ll sell it through traditional retail also. You can’t build that many products without having a much wider distribution strategy. They just haven’t shared that [strategy] yet,” he said.
O’Donnell also had a lot to say about the possibility of an inexpensive Surface RT device, which a report claims may debut at $199.
“There could be two ways to get Surface. Buy it outright for, let’s say, $599. Or $199 for a two-year subscription and you can get X,Y, and Z — which, oh, by the way, works out to more than $599,” he said.
The subscription theory was explained recently in a blog by a former Microsoft manager Hal Berenson, who says, “it is completely within expectations, and in fact the $99Xbox deal is just telegraphing it for all who are willing to listen, that Microsoft is going to offer the Surface for $199 when you sign up for a TBD (to be determined) subscription of some sort,” he wrote.
And he originally floated this idea in a June 13 post here.
But O’Donnell has serious doubts about a $199 Surface. Even a subscription-based Surface wouldn’t work because he doesn’t think that pricing model would be successful on a PC product, which Surface essentially is.
“MS Office subscription? Any Windows RT product comes with Office. So, that knocks out that theory,” he said. Indeed, Microsoft states this clearly in a blog post.
“They do have a video store and music store. Theoretically they could give you a Netflix type or Pandora type deal with free access to music and video. But remember what happened to Netbooks and 3G, where you had to pay a monthly fee? That was a disaster. It took off initially but then nosedived. The point is, people catch on and say wait and minute, when I do the math on this monthly thing I’m paying way more than I want to.”
And the other theory that Microsoft really wants to sell the software, not the hardware, thus the discount. “Let’s say there are four competitors. In a fair world the price is about the same and they each sell 25 percent. But at $199 Microsoft sells 100 percent and everyone else sells almost zero. They (Microsoft) have a truly symbiotic relationship with [PC makers]. If you undercut their prices then all of those licenses you would have sold through [PC makers] don’t get sold,” he said.
Microsoft declined to comment for this story.
AutoInf is a component used by many malware families, notably Conficker, Sality and AutoRun. AutoInf is used to automatically run associated malware from removable media such as USB drives.
Autorun is a family of worms and viruses for the Windows platform. The family gets its name from its use of the USB autorun functionality to automatically execute when an infected USB device is connected to a PC. The members of the Autorun family also use other methods of spread including file infection and traversing network shares.
Conficker is a worm for the Windows platform. It first appeared in late 2008 and is now the most commonly seen malware worldwide. Conficker’s success is due to the multiple methods it uses to spread, exploiting an operating system vulnerability (now patched), weak passwords and removable storage devices.
Fake antivirus software is a scam commonly used by malicious software creators in order to sell fake security software to unwitting victims. The scam will typically involve a webpage or pop-up that informs the user they have viruses or other malware on their computer, even though they do not. It then offers to clean the infection. When the user opts to clean up they are required to pay to obtain a version of the fake software the will perform the cleanup. After the victim pays the software may or may not cease the fake warnings.
Iframe malware usually consists of a small addition to a legitimate webpage. The addition is usually invisible to the normal user of the page in that it does not affect the visual appearance of layout of the modified webpage. Malicious iframes usually cause the web browser to load additional, malicious content. As such they are used as the first step in the delivery chain for many different types of malware.
Sality is a family of file infecting viruses for the Windows platform. It first appeared in 2003 and has been in development ever since. In addition to infecting other files the members of the Sality family can also spread by copying themselves to removable storage devices and accessible network shares.
Zero Access is a family of rootkits and backdoors. It uses rootkit techniques to hide from security software while allowing remote attackers to control infected computers. Zero Access is commonly used to redirect a user’s web traffic.
Zeus (also known as Zbot) is a widespread Trojan whose primary purpose is to steal information, usually financial data such as credentials for online banking. Zeus is also the name of the toolkit used to create these information stealing Trojans. The kit can be purchased on underground forums, enabling less technically able criminals to take advantage of the capabilities of Zeus.
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