Microsoft: 1 in 14 downloads by Windows users is malicious
Last Tuesday, Microsoft said that about one in every 14 programs that is downloaded by Windows users is malicious. Even though Microsoft incorporates a feature in its Internet Explorer (IE) 
browser that is designed to dissuade users for accessing unknown and possibly untrustworthy software, 5% of users ignore the warnings and download Trojan horse programs anyway!
Another case of “Stupid IS as stupid DOES?”
Although debate still rages about the relative safety of Mac vs. Windows PC platforms, IMHO, “true believers” in California (and Oregon!) still “bow to the north,” and defenders of Windows tend to ignore overwhelming evidence, including the Stuxnet Worm. And, although (some say) the Mac is not necessarily more SECURE than Windows, it is apparently “safer…” My experience in high tech tells me that a good firewall and good antivirus software should be used on either platform (and ALL platforms). (A friend of mine just called for some help with some Mac Trojans, which reaffirms my belief!)
The NetworkWorld article citing the ”1 in 14″ statistics talks about the downloading of Trojan horses through “social engineering” and “spearphishing,” the targeting of specific individuals with information to which they would likely respond. The article also describes SmartScreen Filter Application Reputation screening, which was introduced in Internet Explorer 9.
My opinion, born of experience, is that companies that continue to use IE (I worked for a few in high tech) do so because they ignore evidence that they do not want to believe, and perpetuate a shared delusion among members of management (who tended to “groupthink,” anyway!). IMHO, smarter individuals, and smarter companies, use other browsers, and other platforms. (Ask those Iranians whose gaseous centrifuges spun out of control… although I am SURE that that little problem would have happened regardless of platform.)
-Bill at
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