Ballmer also used third-party data to support Microsoft's claim that Windows is more secure than Linux. "No other software platform has invested as much in security R&D, process improvements, and customer education as we have," he writes.
Yet, just two weeks ago, Microsoft issued patches for 21 vulnerabilities in Windows, Exchange, and Office. And adoption of Microsoft's most-secure operating system, Windows XP Service Pack 2, will take between six and 12 months at many companies, by Microsoft's own estimate. That means many of Microsoft business customers continue to use older versions of Windows that are more vulnerable to worms, viruses, and other threats.
Also, a growing number of Linux vendors are adding indemnification to protect customers against potential intellectual-property lawsuits. Hewlett-Packard has been offering indemnification for customers that run Linux on HP systems, subject to certain limitations, for about a year. And in January, Novell introduced indemnification coverage for its SuSE Linux.
Microsoft improved its own indemnification policy last year when it removed the dollar-cap that limited its own liability in potential suits. Microsoft offers indemnification to business customers who sign volume-license agreements. "We're looking at ways to expand it to an even broader set of our customers," Ballmer writes.
To realize the benefits of cloud-native software, an application must actually be cloud-native—designed to run in the cloud, interacting with disaggregated cloud services, fully manageable as code—to deliver the expected benefits.
By combining resources and expertise, the AI-Enabled ICT Workforce Consortium will offer a blueprint for how industries can adapt to an AI-dominated future.
IT leaders should heed the guidance of cybersecurity insurance providers who think businesses should prioritize security education, incident preparedness, regular internal audits, and ongoing vulnerability scanning and patching.
