Worm outbreak leads to change in XP's default firewall setting

Microsoft has decided to change the default settings for the internet connection firewall that is part of Windows XP, following the breakout of the massive worm infection this week. In a posting to the NT-BugTraq mailing list, newly appointed Microsoft Director of Security Engineering Strategies, Steve Lipner, was quoted as saying that instead of being partially configured, the firewall would now be fully configured.

NT-BugTraq editor Russ Cooper hailed the move, pointing out that this was the first time Microsoft had ever gone back and altered the defaults of an existing product. "Historically, you wouldn't see such a change until the next major version release of the OS," he said.

Friday, 15 August 2003 08:48 EST

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