Problem with Winpooch on XP SP3

While this is a noble effort, these new security technologies have a serious side effect. This side effect is that nobody, with the exception of Microsoft, can make changes to certain components of the Windows kernel. The PatchGuard functionality restricts any software that may be attempting to make extensions to the Vista kernel (even those attempting to do so for legitimate reasons). This includes techniques that are commonplace today such as system service dispatch table (SSDT) hooking and interrupt dispatch table (IDT) hooking to name a few.

Another disturbing side effect of this technology is that while legitimate security vendors can no longer make extensions to the Vista kernel (any attempt to circumvent these security features may only work temporarily), researchers and attackers can, and have, already found ways to disable and work around PatchGuard.

These new technologies, along with Microsoft’s unwillingness to make compromises in this area have serious implications for the security industry as a whole.

If Microsoft wants to make Vista more secure, it should provide equal access to the platform that its own developers have to ensure that security vendors can continue to innovate on the platform, and to ensure that consumers and OEMs can continue to choose the best security solutions for the platform. This has always been the case with prior operating systems.

If security vendors don’t have access to the platform kernel, it cuts down on our ability to innovate and create compatible solutions.

As a result, customers around the world will lose their ability to choose what security solutions they would like to run on their operating systems, and be forced to use only those solutions offered or allowed by Microsoft. A lack of choice for customers prevents them from having the widest variety of options for security solutions to quickly address a constantly evolving landscape of security threats. In the end, a less secure Internet will result and both consumers and enterprises will find themselves more vulnerable to cyber attack.