Microsoft distributes free CDs in Japan to patch Windows

Mon Aug 25 15:50:10 UTC 2003

In article <1061823669.17113.3.camel at aiden.noc.adelphia.net>, Paul A.
Bradford <paul.bradford at adelphia.com> writes
>Hmm,
>  and how would you protect the remote controlled MS firewall software
>from:
>
>1. Vulnerabilities itself since MS is building it?
>2. the "remote control" being hijacked by someone besides MS?
>  2a. Hey I'd love to be able to shut folks that were killing my network
>off until they update, but is it my right?

It's not that different from (my perception of) the current technology
used for XP Activation. Presumably an unactivated XP ise prevented from
accessing the Internet (as well as being prevented from doing all the
other normal user things), but is still capable of accessing the
activation server. And is the mechanism of a hypothetical remote de-
activation very far from what I was suggesting (maybe as a sort of "ask
the activation server for permission" at regular intervals)?

Are there any "XP activation" exploits yet?
-- 
Roland Perry