Internet Security and Programming

A pair of Security Fix blog posts last week urging businesses to consider using something other than Microsoft Windows when banking online elicited strong reactions from readers. Most said they thought it was a fresh perspective and sound advice, while others criticized me for going too far or for failing to recommend less drastic alternatives. Let me be clear: The advice was aimed not at consumers, but at small to mid-sized companies that may not have a full-time IT/security staff, and who rely on one or two people to handle their bank accounts and payroll online. That said, I wanted to respond to a couple of specific alternatives suggested by readers, because I felt they fell short of the level of security that these companies need to avoid becoming the next victim. For example, some readers emphasized the importance of ensuring that employees’ Windows computers are running under a limited

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