NHS Cyber attack!

[seeourbee]

Well stop bragging about it then and faux-leaking sound bites. I now suspect this "report" is not what you say and a pure fiction.

[Bluenose]

my 50p is that even if the NHS desktops were running the latest and greatest, they would not have been patched in time anyway.

I expect that many highly funded privately run IT departments were quietly patching their systems over the weekend (cough).

It is great to hear that the NHS back-office systems appear to have been un-scathed, well done there.

Even if the NHS desktops were running Linux and VDI'ing into scratch desktops they would have still been hit however and it would have been easier to contain. The downside is that it is generally hideously expensive to do it this way.

The bigger story here for me is how long Microsoft left the hole un-patched to allow whomever to exploit it.

[SueEllen]

The bigger story here for me is how long Microsoft left the hole un-patched to allow whomever to exploit it.

Windows XP is unsupported.

M$ sent patches out in March to stop the issue.

[AtW]

Windows XP is unsupported.

It should be illegal for them to just "not support" it for important security patches

[vetran]

my 50p is that even if the NHS desktops were running the latest and greatest, they would not have been patched in time anyway.

I expect that many highly funded privately run IT departments were quietly patching their systems over the weekend (cough).

It is great to hear that the NHS back-office systems appear to have been un-scathed, well done there.

Even if the NHS desktops were running Linux and VDI'ing into scratch desktops they would have still been hit however and it would have been easier to contain. The downside is that it is generally hideously expensive to do it this way.

The bigger story here for me is how long Microsoft left the hole un-patched to allow whomever to exploit it.

XP has been unsupported (except embedded) for years. Windows 7 roll out was 6 years ago for most sensible companies.

Though probably there were plenty of private organisations updating machines they have to be mad to still run XP.

This is a CIO level issue, they failed to drive the upgrade and prevent risk.

Microsoft tend not to patch EOL O/Ss.

[vetran]

It should be illegal for them to just "not support" it for important security patches

You send ex customers up to date reports for free?

[Bluenose]

Windows XP is unsupported.

M$ sent patches out in March to stop the issue.

I know that.

I am supporter of Microsoft, I think their hearts are generally in the right place even if sometimes the quality of their products lets them down time to time.

My point is the NSA exploit was being used well before March. The exploit may have been in the code since it was released in 2002.

Just because it was Windows XP is missing my point, I would rate the chances of Microsoft only knowing about this hole in February as near to zero.

Taken into this context Microsoft defecting the issue onto companies because their software is out of date is a bit galling because it is actually a distraction tactic.

[AtW]

You send ex customers up to date reports for free?

I would have if we sold on the basis of one off fee for a lifetime license - like Microsoft did...

More importantly - our software does not create potentially dangerous situation for critical infrastructure: Microsoft's does, there is a downside to having market dominance and that should be fixing critical security even for "old" software like XP.

[DimPrawn]

I would have if we sold on the basis of one off fee for a lifetime license - like Microsoft did...

More importantly - our software does not create potentially dangerous situation for critical infrastructure: Microsoft's does, there is a downside to having market dominance and that should be fixing critical security even for "old" software like XP.

Microsoft should send an automatic update that deletes XP from any computer running it. Sorted.

[AtW]

Microsoft should send an automatic update that deletes XP from any computer running it. Sorted.

Turning dangerous unpached PCs off the Internet is essential - ISPs should be blocking all access other than to Microsoft patch servers.