Two of the biggest security software manufacturers, Symantec and McAfee, are stepping up their accusations that Microsoft’s Windows Vista blocks their software. Microsoft will include antivirus and anti-spyware software with the new OS, better security being a primary reason for the release. In addition, they have closed off access to the “Windows kernel”, the primary way that security software products gain access to detect and block rootkits, keystroke-logging software, and worms. The trouble with the kernel is that it becomes a loophole that allows malware creators to exploit those same interfaces, a threat that Microsoft says outweighs the benefits. Symantec and McAfee say the move undercuts their products at a convenient time – when Microsoft is entering the desktop security software market.

Addressing competitive concerns, Microsoft held an online meeting with security companies last week. But the conference crashed shortly after it started, and Symantec and McAfee were not able to get back in. While many are saying this is just a coincidence, it does beg the question, while Microsoft is clearly very serious about improving the level of security in Vista, how serious are they about outreaching to security companies?

Large threats spammed to millions of mailboxes are widespread, but not usually a grave concern anymore. More targeted attacks are what keep corporations up at night. Though they only make up a tiny portion of overall threats, targeted Trojan horses are used for industrial espionage and other financial crimes. They send messages to email addresses at an organization with an attachment—typically a Microsoft Word document—that installs keystroke-logging or screen-scraping software. Seeing as a typical attack is sent to 1-10 email addresses, they usually go undetected by security software.

October sees two new browser releases with Mozilla Firefox 2.0 and Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.0

Mozilla Firefox and Microsoft Internet Explorer, the planet’s largest Internet browsers, released huge upgrades this month. IE 7.0 plays catchup to many of its competitors, adding features such as the popular tabbed browsing. Microsoft enhanced the feature with QuickTabs, which reduces tabs to tiled thumbnails for a simple view. They also added integrated search and support of RSS feeds, improved print functions and enhanced security touches. Even if you don’t download it yourself, you’ll get the installer automatically via Windows Update, so IE users enjoy! As for the Firefox 2.0 update, Mozilla made a new interface, better security, improved crash protection and other small but useful tweaks.

As expected, both browser releases were not without bugs. Experts have found a weakness in Internet Explorer 7.0 called the “Spoofing Bug”. It is a bug that allows a Web site to display a pop-up that can contain a spoofed web address, which attackers could exploit to trick people into believing they’re on a trusted website. Bug hunters have found two bugs in Firefox 2.0 that Mozilla’s security chief says are “just noise” and have been fixed, adding “we think it’s great that the security community is working so hard to help us identify bugs”.

Adobe Systems has released a beta version of Soundbooth, an audio-editing program for Web designers and video professionals. Soundbooth is alternative to their current audio product, Audition, and will have more appeal for people who are not audio specialists. It is expected to be included in future versions of creative suite, as design and video professionals are being asked to do more and more with audio. The interface will be more user-friendly than Audition, with the goal that users will be able to learn the program by using it, rather than studying a tutorial. Soundbooth is expected to be released next year and will cost around $350.