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Google Ditches Microsoft's Windows Over Security Issues, Report Claims

Google is snubbing Microsoft's Windows operating system, citing security issues with the OS, a new report says.

Tom Spring
Tuesday, June 01, 2010 06:26 AM PDT

Google employees are slamming Microsoft's Windows operating system, claiming security vulnerabilities in the OS left the company open to Chinese hackers in January 2010, a new report says. According to the Financial Times, Google will ditch the internal use of Windows in exchange for alternative operating systems including the Mac OS, Linux, and Google's own forthcoming Chrome OS operating system.

The May 31 Financial Times article quotes only anonymous Google sources, identifying them as several of Google's 10,000 employees. FT reporters David Gelles and Richard Waters write: "Employees wanting to stay on Windows required clearance from 'quite senior levels', one employee said. 'Getting a new Windows machine now requires CIO approval,' said another employee."

Google officials have not tacitly denied the Windows ban on work computers, issuing the following statement to the Reuters news agency: "We're always working to improve the efficiency of our business, but we do not comment on specific operational matters."

The FT calls Google's anti-Windows policy "semi-formal" and said that some laptops of "new hires" were still being outfitted with Windows, but all internal desktop PCs for these employees would run non-Windows based operating systems.

Microsoft's dominant operating system Windows and its leading Web browser Internet Explorer have a reputation for being vulnerable to attacks. Security experts point out that Microsoft's market share dominance promises malware developers a significantly higher return on investment than the Mac OS platform, which owns 5 percent of the OS market. Other operating systems (including Mac OS) and Web browsers -- including Google's own Chrome Web browser -- have also suffered from security vulnerabilities.

Microsoft's Windows operating system and its Internet Explorer browser were cited by Google earlier this year as contributing to Chinese hackers successfully hacking a number of Google-owned PCs and Gmail accounts. Security researchers said hackers used the back-door Hydraq Trojan to break into Google owned PCs and accounts. In January, Google claimed a China-originated attack let malicious hackers steal Google intellectual property and partially break into the Gmail accounts of Chinese human rights activists.

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http://news.cnet.com/8301-30684_3-20006509-265.html

June 1, 2010 4:10 PM PDT
Microsoft responds to Google's Windows moves
by Tom Krazit

Despite no official acknowledgement from Google that it's ditching Microsoft's Windows operating system, Microsoft felt compelled to respond Tuesday.

A report surfaced late Monday night that Google has started easing Windows PCs out of its internal network based on security concerns, related in part to the attacks on its infrastructure late last year. Google has so far declined to confirm that report, but Microsoft released a blog post Tuesday afternoon defending Windows security and pointing out that security concerns helped derail a Gmail deployment at Yale University.

"When it comes to security, even hackers admit we're doing a better job making our products more secure than anyone else. And it's not just the hackers; third party influentials [sic] and industry leaders like Cisco tell us regularly that our focus and investment continues to surpass others," Microsoft said in its blog post.

For some reason Microsoft declines to use Google's name directly in the post, preferring instead to discuss "whether or not one particular company is reducing its use of Windows." The two industry titans are far from best friends, battling each other on any number of fronts from operating system and office productivity software to search and mobile devices.

Microsoft also made sure to take a shot at old rival Apple, highlighting reports Tuesday that spyware targeting Mac OS X machines is being downloaded along with some free applications.

"Microsoft makes the security of our customers a huge priority," it said, going on to list a number of security features in Windows 7.

I agree, Mac OS X is the least secure OS to choose from and Linux is severely limited compared to Windows.

Google is the devil anyway. I can't help but use their Gmail but if I could I would switch to something else.

Other operating systems (including Mac OS) and Web browsers -- including Google's own Chrome Web browser -- have also suffered from security vulnerabilities.

I smell a bullshit hate move...Fuck Google...I need to change my homepage, lol...

Can't blame them for wanting to compete. It's not as if anybody plays nicely on this.