Associated Press
SEATTLE — Microsoft Corp. said Wednesday it will offer free customer support to combat computer viruses and streamline the way users can download current software patches.
Previously, corporate customers had to pay Microsoft to get their virus-related questions answered and were required to check the company’s Web sites regularly for any updates.
Beginning later this month, Microsoft will let customers running Microsoft’s Windows 2000 and NT operating systems, Web server products and Internet Explorer browser download all-in-one patches that fix security flaws the company knows about. Microsoft also will help users shut down unused functions, such as Internet printing, that could make their systems more vulnerable to attack.
Customers will have the option of getting future patches automatically downloaded to their computers from Microsoft’s servers.
Most hacker attacks, including the Red Worm and Nimda viruses, exploited known vulnerabilities in Microsoft systems, and went after computers that hadn’t been updated with the latest virus and security patches.
Brian Valentine, senior vice president for Microsoft’s Windows division, acknowledged Wednesday that the process for updating virus protection was confusing and may have kept some customers from keeping their systems safe.
"It is a situation where we just have to make it simpler," he said.
Last week, John Pescatore, research director for Internet security at the influential high-tech research firm Gartner Group, said companies whose Web sites were brought down by hackers more than once might not be able to keep their Microsoft servers secure from future attacks. He recommended they switch to a competing product.
Other analysts have said that Microsoft’s products might not be less secure, but that hackers could simply be targeting the high-profile company.
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