Microsoft Cripples Autorun (Sort of)
PrintOn Friday, Microsoft pushed updates for Windows operating systems that disables the AutoRun feature for non-optical devices. This update affected Windows XP, Vista, Server 2003, and 2008. Microsoft already disables the feature in the, soon to be available, Windows 7 OS. The update was available voluntarily back in August.
AutoRun (and AutoPlay) was originally developed out of convenience to eliminate the need for users to browse the media for the correct file to open. However, recently it has been exploited to automatically run malware and other obtrusive software applications without the users consent.
Interestingly, the update doesn’t cripple removable optical media (i.e. CDs and DVDs) from running AutoRun procedures. So companies, such as U3, who manufacture their devices to represent themselves as CDs are largely unaffected by the update.
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Techrocket9
September 14, 2009 at 3:39pm
Portableapps is doomed!
_____________________________________________________
An army of pacifists can be defeated by one man with the will to fight.
mattman059
September 14, 2009 at 3:36pm
inaffected ...SERIOUSLY INAFFECTED?!!?!?!
it's UNaffected. Think, then type.
I Jedi
September 14, 2009 at 3:25pm
Still this represents a good step for Microsoft to be able to help protect its users even more.
nebulaz
September 14, 2009 at 3:24pm
I dunno if I'm one of the few paranoids, but I disable auto-run on everything, as to know that I can scan and inspect the contents of any CD, DVD or flash drive prior to allowing to to execute itself.
lataesippinyuppie
September 14, 2009 at 4:14pm
I fucking hate U3!
It probably goes without saying, but I had to.
Also, I am using chrome, and I love it, its fast, and I really like how It gives me my 9 most visited web pages at the home screen, and when I type in the address bar it knows to just google it, and It had porn mode before everyone else. I hate how when ever I sign on to MPC to post a comment, It says "O snap this page can't be loaded" WTF
And dont tell me to just use firefox, it takes about 20 years to start, even the latest version, even after a clean install of the os.
Vegan
September 14, 2009 at 4:53pm
"And dont tell me to just use firefox, it takes about 20 years to start,
even the latest version, even after a clean install of the os. "
Just a couple seconds for me.
lataesippinyuppie
September 14, 2009 at 5:19pm
yeah, I still have it installed, and it only takes a few seconds after it has already been launched, Its the initial start that takes forever. I admit it has gotten better in the last version, but chrome still beats it.
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