4 ms·

I vaguely recall that unpatched XP averages just a couple minutes on a network before being owned. If you didn't have the SP on a disc it was a race between the

by ahi 14y ago

I vaguely recall that unpatched XP averages just a couple minutes on a network before being owned. If you didn't have the SP on a disc it was a race between the updates and the bots. That might have been old linux propaganda though.

davidcuddeback 14y ago
It was certainly true at large LAN parties. I had to reinstall Windows at QuakeCon one year, and it was nearly impossible to win the race against the malware floating around the network. Putting your computer on the same LAN as 3000 gamers (most of whom download a lot of warez) isn't exactly the same as connecting your computer to the internet through a firewall, so I'm not sure if my experience at QuakeCon generalizes to a typical PC setup.
jen_h 14y ago
Not propaganda, I saw a great example of this once bringing up a Windows system on a residential line shared with other apartments. Seconds after the box's "Hey, there, Windows Update, got something for me?", the network slowed to a crawl and our router's (rejected) incoming connection log grew hot and heavy. Would be lovely if the massive influx of attempted incoming connections were just eager WindowsUpdate systems, but unless Microsoft moved their infrastructure to China and Romania... Anyway, there's a reason to travel with your own locked-down router and to never connect through anyone else's connection directly, especially if you're running Windows. Even that's not foolproof, but at least you've got an Angry Bouncer protecting the Windows Club. Windows Update connections totally feel like spotlights and booming bass.
graywh 14y ago
When I showed up for my first day of work 8 years ago, a newly installed WinXP system awaited me. I had to patch the system that morning because it had been powered on and connected to the network for several days already.
tomc1985 14y ago
I've experienced this. I forget what it was but there was that one exploit that terminated some critical service makes Windows reboot after a 1- or 2-minute countdown. Frickin pain in the ass that was...
stordoff 14y ago
Without SP2 installed, I had multiple systems infected before I had a chance for the service pack to finish installing. I eventually had to order it on CD from Microsoft. I'm guessing that Windows Firewall (included in SP2) buys you some time, but I can't see unpatched system lasting very long.

by ahi 14y ago

davidcuddeback 14y ago

It was certainly true at large LAN parties. I had to reinstall Windows at QuakeCon one year, and it was nearly impossible to win the race against the malware floating around the network. Putting your computer on the same LAN as 3000 gamers (most of whom download a lot of warez) isn't exactly the same as connecting your computer to the internet through a firewall, so I'm not sure if my experience at QuakeCon generalizes to a typical PC setup.

jen_h 14y ago

Not propaganda, I saw a great example of this once bringing up a Windows system on a residential line shared with other apartments. Seconds after the box's "Hey, there, Windows Update, got something for me?", the network slowed to a crawl and our router's (rejected) incoming connection log grew hot and heavy. Would be lovely if the massive influx of attempted incoming connections were just eager WindowsUpdate systems, but unless Microsoft moved their infrastructure to China and Romania... Anyway, there's a reason to travel with your own locked-down router and to never connect through anyone else's connection directly, especially if you're running Windows. Even that's not foolproof, but at least you've got an Angry Bouncer protecting the Windows Club. Windows Update connections totally feel like spotlights and booming bass.

graywh 14y ago

When I showed up for my first day of work 8 years ago, a newly installed WinXP system awaited me. I had to patch the system that morning because it had been powered on and connected to the network for several days already.

tomc1985 14y ago

I've experienced this. I forget what it was but there was that one exploit that terminated some critical service makes Windows reboot after a 1- or 2-minute countdown. Frickin pain in the ass that was...

stordoff 14y ago

Without SP2 installed, I had multiple systems infected before I had a chance for the service pack to finish installing. I eventually had to order it on CD from Microsoft. I'm guessing that Windows Firewall (included in SP2) buys you some time, but I can't see unpatched system lasting very long.