Opinion: We're a lot better off than we were before.
A year and a half ago, if we'd said to you that Windows and Internet Explorer were secure, you'd probably have laughed us off the Internet. However, things have come a long way since then. No really, they have.
Not all that long ago, a firewall was a piece of software that tin foil hat wearing nerds installed on their computers to keep their data protected, or something used by companies to keep out the nasty corporate spies. Indeed, there was a time when it was practically safe to browse the web without a firewall. Then along came the likes of Blaster, exploiting security holes in computers running Microsoft Windows. Suddenly people's computers were shutting themselves down. Worse still, it wasn't from being a fool and opening an unusual attachment (something that should be taught to children at the same time as "don't talk to strangers"); you could get hit by the Blaster worm simply by being online.
Cue publicity, public concern ensues, and suddenly priorities change. No longer was a computer solely about features. It was about being secure enough to not take a dive as soon as it connected to the Internet. Without going into the depths of phishing scams, spyware and yet more security holes, it's sufficient to say that consumer faith in the ability of a computer to keep their data safe was taking a hit, and rightly so.
The blame doesn't lie solely with Microsoft, of course. However, much of the hassle was caused by security holes in the Windows Operating System, a frankly naff firewall, and a browser with more holes than a Swiss cheese.
So, here we are today, still using e-mail, still using Windows, the vast majority of people still using Internet Explorer, still online banking and so on. Consumers didn't drop their computers and run screaming, because luckily, things improved. Service Pack 2 for Windows introduced a firewall that was on by default - fantastic! Some would argue that it's not as good as, say, Zone Alarm, but does average Joe user really want a pop-up every time a packet of data fancies making its way onto the Internet? Critical updates to Windows are automatic by default now too. Internet Explorer is also far better than it was in terms of security.
Alas, things still aren't perfect. The sad fact is, installing XP using an old installation CD could, if you're not clued up, result in worm riddled mayhem, and applications such as spyware and virus scanners remain something which the user must actively seek out, install and run. Reassuringly security remains a top priority for the likes of Microsoft. IE7 is looking more secure by the day. Vista, though quite a while off, looks promising too.
Would we be so worried about security now if it wasn't for phishers and worms? Of course not. Nevertheless it's good to see software writers actually thinking about security now, and better still, consumers seeking out secure software. Hopefully the less tech-savvy people won't be confused by a barrage of marketing, and we can all surf a happy, secure Internet.
