Originally posted by: DasFox
Originally posted by: Nothinman
Wow, DasFox, you are really confused.
No I'm not, since Windows has been out I've only used service packs and nothing else.
90% of Windows updates for users are not needed. Let me stress this again, the key here is a user who does not have mission critical information on their system, and if they do, and it's that critical, those boxes shouldn't even be online in the first place.
Corporate, or business systems are another situation, but again they can limit the systems that are online, and what information is on these boxes that are online to limit any threats. Updates are not the real issue for security, it's how you manage your system that is the real issue to security.
You guys act like the real source of security is in the updates. Security starts with how you manage your systems, are they online, or only on an internal network? If they are then online what access is there to them, with what information, etc.?
Smart users, or Admins can pick and choose their updates to suit their needs if there are any. The biggest concerns for updates are when software won't work, and needs an update to fix a problem. If you are relying on updates for better system security, then you need to rethink about what security is in the first place, because it doesn't always begin with updates.
Another concern over updates is if you've been around Windows long enough then you'll also know MS has had a long history of updates breaking things and updates needing updates... Updating software doesn't always mean you are going to get the benefits you should. There are many times when updates create problems and also introduce another set of bugs that need dealing with. Updates in a business environment always have to consider this. Are the updates going to really help, or is there the possibility of introducing more problems, etc., when doing the updates?
Since MS first introduced Windows I've been using it without ever the need for any updates, other then something that was critically needed because software would not work without it, other then that there has never been a need for a user to update anything.
Like they say if it isn't broke you don't need to fix it, and that holds true for the software world unless software will no longer work, or it's going to pose a grave security risk, then there is no need to update, and even if it's going to pose a security risk, the FIRST line of defense in security is a firewall, not software updates.
If your system is going to become compromised because you didn't do some Windows updates, then there is something terribly wrong with your system security, and all the updates in the world aren't going to help if you don't even understand where security starts in the first place.
If you think keeping your software secure over a firewall is a safer approach to computing, then you need to rethink again.
Let me stress this in another way. The user only needs service pack updates, unless something won't work. And again, don't think that security updates to your software are going to make your box more secure if you don't even know how to use a proper firewall.
Proper security starts at the firewall first, it is the FIRST line of defense not the updates. If you don't think so, then tell that to the Admin of a company. Tell them to only update their software for security updates, and that they don't need a firewall anymore, they are now safe and secure.
Did you know you can have the crappiest bug ridden software with holes out the butt in it, and run the safest box in the world, if you know how to run a good/proper firewall, because it doesn't matter how insecure your software is, as long as your firewall is good. Then you can have a crappy firewall, with a terrible security policy/rules and great updated secure software, and guess what someone will get into that system, and eventually crack that software, why because there is no such thing as perfect software, anything is crackable.
Now does this mean this is how you should run a box with crappy bug ridden software full of holes? Of course not, but don't think that the service packs for users are that big of problems because they are not.
Again, the only people that need to concern themselves with updates is if there is anything mission critical on the system that needs the utmost protection, and GUESS WHAT? If it's that critical then those boxes shouldn't even be on the NET in the first place. They should be off line ONLY on an internal network with no access to the NET for greater security.
Let's wake up here, real critical systems shouldn't even be online if they are that important in the first place, and most of MS's updates are dealing with online security threats. Did you ever think about that?
Summary:
1. If it's not going to work, update it.
2. If security was that big of a problem, then maybe that box should not be online, but only on an internal network.
3. No computer should ever have anything on it so important that it needs Windows updates to protect it. That data should be on other forms of media, storage devices, etc... off the NET.
4. Real security is in proper management, how you run your systems, not updates!