full-disclosure - 70 million computers are using Windows 98rightnow

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Message-ID: <A4F3081BB4DFA34E9F50DAB5109D78BD01C6E49A@ptle2m02.up.corp.upc>
Date: Tue Jul 11 19:36:55 2006
From: ACastigliola at unumprovident.com (Castigliola, Angelo)
Subject: 70 million computers are using Windows
	98rightnow

This thread is the Windows 3.1/95 EOL discussion all over again. Nothing
happened then and I seriously doubt anything will happen now. I agree
with the points below. There are no known remote exploits for the
Windows 98 operating system. I Could not tell you how many exploits are
out there for Internet Explorer or Outlook\Express that will allow
someone to compromise Windows 98 but I guess very few.

The reason I decided to respond to this thread is to point out that I
think running Internet Explorer or Outlook\Express as a
non-administrator (
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dncode/
html/secure11152004.asp ) is a better solution then the open source
solutions that are notorious for features not working with Microsoft
rich websites (if the website\application loads at all). Seems like the
major computer nerds always recommend firefox for windows however if you
use a lot of .NET web applications then firefox is a very poor solution.

Angelo Castigliola III
Enterprise Security Architecture
UnumProvident

The posts and threads in this email do not reflect the opinions of nor
are endorsed by UnumProvident, Inc., nor any of its employees.

-----Original Message-----
From: full-disclosure-bounces@...ts.grok.org.uk
[mailto:full-disclosure-bounces@...ts.grok.org.uk] On Behalf Of Morning
Wood
Sent: Tuesday, July 11, 2006 1:31 PM
To: full-disclosure@...ts.grok.org.uk
Subject: Re: [Full-disclosure] 70 million computers are using Windows
98rightnow

Windows 98 has no remote exploits, only client side attacks ( IE, OE,
WMP 
and 3rd party apps )
( try sticking a win98 box in a dmz or direct to the Internet... It wont
get 
owned ). I dont think it is that huge of an issue that they are
"abandoning" 
it's users.

 The impending abandonment of support for Win98 has been comming for at 
least 2 years
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/lifecycle/default.mspx
http://www.internetnews.com/dev-news/article.php/3298741

As a matter of fact I have a Win98 box just for a game ( Descent2 on
3dfx 
!!! ) and my TV tuner.

Replace IE and OE with open source replacements, and the platform could
be a 
low cost alternative that would also carry a fair degree of security for

those that would like to deploy it.

One suggestion to Microsoft would be to make Win98 ( and Dos 6.2x ) 
available as a freeware OS since they will no longer be burdened by
support, 
patches and etc anyway. Replace IE and OE with open source replacements,
and 
the platform could be a low cost alternative that would also carry a
fair 
degree of security for those that would like to deploy it.

They could even open up some source code that is not used by the
currently 
supported OS's, that could bring a good deal of support and development
by 
the community.

my2bits,
MW

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