Gates vows "security"

SEATTLE: Bill Gates vowed to step up efforts to make Microsoft Corp.'s software more secure and reliable, even while high-profile attacks have continued hitting personal computers worldwide.

"Malicious software code has been around for decades," Gates wrote at the start of an e-mail sent to customers on Wednesday. "But only in the last few years have the Internet, high-speed connections and millions of new computing devices converged to create a truly global computing network in which a virus or worm can circle the world in a matter of minutes."

Referring to computer worms such as SQL Slammer, Blaster and MyDoom, which wreaked havoc on personal computers worldwide by bringing down networks and infecting hard drives, Gates said that such incidents threaten "the potential of technology to advance business productivity, commerce and communication."

The memo is part of a series of e-mails that Gates, Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer and other executives send regularly to customers to communicate about the world's largest software maker's priorities.

Gates used the memo to tout an upcoming release of an update to Windows XP, called Windows XP Service Pack 2, designed to enhance the security of the PC operating system.

The update to the latest version of Windows will include new tools to block PCs from attacks over networks, allow more secure Web browsing and e-mail access, as well as making it harder for attackers to sneak into computers.

Gates said that Microsoft is also working to improve efforts to keep its software up-to-date even after it reaches users' desktops.

"Security is as big and important a challenge as any our industry has ever tackled. It is not a case of simply fixing a few vulnerabilities and moving on," Gates said.






© Reuters