Microsoft Updates Both XP and Vista Without User Permission or Notification

The details are still fuzzy, but if this is true, it’s a huge deal.

Not that Microsoft can do this; that’s just stupid company stuff. But what’s to stop anyone else from using Microsoft’s stealth remote install capability to put anything onto anyone’s computer? How long before some smart hacker exploits this, and then writes a program that will allow all the dumb hackers to do it?

When you build a capability like this into your system, you decrease your overall security.

Posted on September 17, 2007 at 6:12 AM • 60 Comments