bugtraq - Re: Computer Sabotage by Microsoft

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Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 19:15:42 -0700
From: "Anthony Saffer" <anthonysaffer@...oo.com>
To: "Stefan Esser" <s.esser@...atters.de>, <full-disclosure@...ts.netsys.com>
Cc: <bugtraq@...urityfocus.com>
Subject: Re: Computer Sabotage by Microsoft

> well it finally happened. I came back home after work, connected my
> XBOX to the internet and went into the XBOX-Live menu configuration.
> Well what happened. The XBOX started automaticly downloading the new
> crappy XBOX-Live dashboard, which is of course fixed.
>
> This is IMHO an act of computer sabotage. I have never allowed MS
> to modify my dashboard or to auto update my dashboard.
>
> Is any lawyer on the list who can point me to the right paragraphs?
> I do not believe this computer sabotage is legal in any european
> country.
>
> Yours,
> Stefan Esser

Actually, this isn't anywhere near computer sabotage and certainly isn't
illegal. First, the X-Box has never been marketed as a general purpose
computer system. It's marketed as a device to play/use certain media.
Second, Microsoft does have a right to implement security features to
protect their network from attack (even if the threat was created by their
own incompetence). Would you rather they simply deny you access to the
network until you upgrade? If they did so, would you not eventually upgrade
to gain access to the network? Microsoft has the right to say you MUST be at
a certain patch level to access their network. If you aren't comfortable
with that then you can choose to not ever connect to the network. And
Microsoft isn't the only company that is/has been doing this. I remember
several games in the early to mind 1990's that immediately downloaded the
latest patches when you connected to the network. They never prompted you to
see if you wanted to and nobody complained. This is no different.

Anthony Saffer

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