[Liskiller]

A researcher at Sophos reports putting Windows 7's User Account Control (UAC) feature to the test and finding the technology failed to block numerous pieces of malware. Microsoft, however, stresses that UAC is only one part of Windows 7's security.

Windows 7 is vulnerable to no less than 8 out of 10 viruses currently spreading in the wild. All the Windows users are recommended to use an anti-virus.



Source: Sophos

[CommonSense]

Is there a chart for Vista for comparison?

[PurplePeopleEater]

I'm sure MS will answer that with an update, MS is going to try hard to preserve the reputation of Windows 7

[Secured Tim]

That's why I disabled the annoying UAC.

[adrynalyne]

A couple of things here.


1. This report coming from an antivirus vendor is no huge shock.
2. Why isn't there any specifics about how it was installed? I don't see anything that specifically says that the malware installed with elevated priveledges, or whether it required the user to click ok to accept it? If its a case of the user accepting it, and it installing, well no duh it got through.
3. 10 hand picked viruses by Sophos. Did you think they would honestly pick ones that would be blocked? You can be sure they picked the cream of the crop for their test. On top of that, 10 viruses out of what, thousands? millions? Hardly a representative sample. This report was just Sophos pimping themselves out. Notice no note of MSE being released, and that its for XP, Vista,and 7? If MS felt UAC was enough on its own, then they probably wouldn't have bothered with MSE.

UAC cannot effectively block all malware, or viruses without heuristics or virus definitions, of which it has neither.

This post has been edited by adrynalyne: 06 November 2009 - 10:17 PM

[Airflow]

Everyone that I know just hits the yes for everything because its just a nuisance. Not very end user friendly if I do say so myself.

[adrynalyne]

Don't ever use Linux or OS X then.

Mad clickers are the reason there are so many malware infected machines as it is.

This post has been edited by adrynalyne: 06 November 2009 - 10:22 PM

[poolsharkzz]

Regardless of what Operating System you are using:

"All the Windows users are recommended to use an anti-virus".

It's sound advice, along with a good spyware program and decent firewall, you can't go wrong.

UAC is a waste of time and should be outlawed!

poolsharkzz

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Number of downloads: 0

[adrynalyne]

Yes outlaw UAC.




No matter the OS, or security measures in place, the biggest threat is the user.

This post has been edited by adrynalyne: 06 November 2009 - 10:56 PM

[Laguna]

Secured Tim, on 06 November 2009 - 09:07 PM, said:

That's why I disabled the annoying UAC.

I hate UAC.

[NealTheGuitarist]

I hate UAC. Annoying thing.

[zool]

^Me too.. btw adrynalyne, did you said Sophos? That f**king AV.. They can't detect viruses as good as AVG or Avira.. My university used Sophos in their computer(for students to browse webs and do homeworks) but they finally changed to Norton this year because that AV is so useless and annoying. All the viruses that spread in my university because Sophos can't detect any of it.. for AVG, Kaspersky, Avira, Norton users, the viruses can't infect them.. The lesson is, Don't use Sophos!!

[pataoengineer]

UAC can make just a little difference.

[Bill_Puertas]

Secured Tim, on 06 November 2009 - 05:07 PM, said:

That's why I disabled the annoying UAC.

unsuccessful app!! i always disable that in vista and win7

[coldemone]

Quote

Hardly a representative sample. This report was just Sophos pimping themselves out.

they don't wanna be bothered to do stratified random sampling. It's a pain to do such method.

and I think they can let out more viruses from the zoo than just 10, like a 100 viruses breaking in.
Considering you have a lot of time to do it.