ROUNDUP: Many technology titans claim that security is a top priority. But how far have we really come in solving security problems? MSN Messenger suffers from a worm attack, and a software flaw could leave the core of the Internet open to hackers. Meanwhile, Microsoft and a security firm duke it out over an alleged .Net flaw.
A security company's assertion that a feature in Microsoft's latest software tools has a flaw morphed on Friday into an argument over whether the giant is doing enough to secure its code.
The crux of the debate is now focused on whether the feature--a software switch known as the 'GS flag' that turns on additional security--has sacrificed protection for performance, said Crispin Cowan, chief scientist at WireX Communications, maker of secure Linux applications, and the co-founder of open-source security site Sardonix.org.
Cowan likened the GS flag to a flak jacket that protects against certain calibers of bullets. "Now, the disagreement is over the size of the bullets that can penetrate the jacket," he said.
News source: Cnet's roundup
