Teen Averts Microsoft Crisis! Cool!

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Mr Thompson said he had to convince Microsoft of the problem

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- E IIMA -->A teenage computer whizz from Aberdeen has averted a potential crisis at software giant Microsoft.

IT specialist Matt Thompson was barely out of college when he discovered a security glitch in Microsoft's Windows operating system.

The 19-year-old informed the company and worked with them for six months to solve the problem.

But all he received for helping protect Microsoft from hackers was a mention on its website.

Mr Thompson discovered a flaw in the company's Jet Database Engine while carrying out work for a client at the firm where he works, Aberdeen IT.

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I got put through to the security response team and that's when we started working together, passing bits of code back and forth
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Matt Thompson

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- E IBOX -->The bug allowed an attacker to take complete control of an affected system, install programs, and view, change, or delete data.

Mr Thompson said that he initially had difficulty convincing Microsoft it had a problem.

He said: "At first I was put through to a load of different departments because they thought I was a home user with a problem.

"Then I got put through to the security response team and that's when we started working together, passing bits of code back and forth."

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The teenager got a personal vote of thanks

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- E IIMA -->The teenager's efforts won him an online acknowledgement on Microsoft's website.

In a statement the company told BBC Scotland it would like to thank Matt for working with it to help protect customers.

His boss, Aberdeen IT managing director Steve Lai, said: "In terms of what he achieved for Microsoft that acknowledgement is nothing, really nothing. "For an organisation the size of Microsoft, it could have done more." But Mr Thompson said it was a great feeling to have been thanked by such a major player in the world of computing. <!-- E BO -->

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Hi TinyD,
smile.gif


The problem is that Microsoft dominates the market yet their software has numerous errors that they don't seem to be able to fix. They have major security issues which means that if you use Windows XP, for example, you must deal with many bugs and security issues. CNN gave microsoft an "F" on security! They cannot even protect their own network. They have major security issues so please download their patches located on their website to protect yourself!

The best solution that I've heard is to install patches, along with firewalls and other security software and services, as well as demand better products from Microsoft. Some folks have switched to Macintosh platforms.

 
I let my son handle all that stuff, I am totally ignorant to all that. He keeps telling me to stop downloading stuff all the time.
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Originally Posted by Californian Hi TinyD,
smile.gif
The problem is that Microsoft dominates the market yet their software has numerous errors that they don't seem to be able to fix. They have major security issues which means that if you use Windows XP, for example, you must deal with many bugs and security issues. CNN gave microsoft an "F" on security! They cannot even protect their own network. They have major security issues so please download their patches located on their website to protect yourself!

The best solution that I've heard is to install patches, along with firewalls and other security software and services, as well as demand better products from Microsoft. Some folks have switched to Macintosh platforms.

 
LOL! Yeah, thats why I'm gonna let him stick around.

Originally Posted by Californian When your computer starts smoking, we'll know that he has finally moved out of the house! LOL
 

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