Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Subscribe
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Subscribe
    Home Cybersecurity
    • Cybersecurity
    • IT Management
    • PC Hardware

    Google Dumping Windows Due to Security Concerns, Report Says

    Written by

    Brian Prince
    Published June 1, 2010
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.

      Security concerns are reportedly hastening an internal move by Google to migrate away from Microsoft Windows.

      According to the Financial Times, Google has been phasing out Windows since January in response to the infamous Aurora attack. The effort may effectively end the use of Windows by Google’s more than 10,000 global employees.

      In early January some new hires were still being allowed to install Windows on their laptops, the Financial Times said, but it was not an option for their desktop computers. New hires are now given the option of using the Apple Mac OS X or Linux operating systems, and getting a new Windows PC reportedly now requires CIO approval.

      Part of the migration is an internal effort by the company to run its own products, such as Google Chrome OS, which will compete with Windows when it is released. Employees have also been moving away from Windows on their own, according to a source cited in the article.

      “Particularly since the China scare, a lot of people here are using Macs for security [reasons],” an employee said. “Before the security, there was a directive by the company to try to run things on Google products. It was a long time coming.”

      In March, Forrester Research released a report saying roughly 86 percent of surveyed Windows 7 users said they were satisfied with the operating system, though just 10 percent of Windows XP and Windows Vista users said they planned to upgrade to Windows 7 within the next six months.

      “This is an overreaction by Google and appears to be an attempt to discredit a competitor by casting [aspersions] on the Windows OS rather than solving the root cause of the problem,” Gartner analyst Neil MacDonald said. “Google fell victim because some number of users were still using IE 6. … It was an IE 6 zero-day vulnerability that was attacked, not Windows.”

      MacDonald continued, “The root cause is that all commercial software will have vulnerabilities. Switching from Windows and IE 6 merely switches out one vulnerable layer for another … Mac OS has its fair share of vulnerabilities. So does Safari. So does Linux. So does Chrome, for that matter.”

      Windows is a more popular target for attackers than other operating systems because it is so popular among users, Forrester Research analyst Jonathan Penn said.

      “So this migration away from Windows might lower the noise around run-of-the-mill security incidents,” Penn said. “But there’s been a lot written about how Linux [and] Mac aren’t any less vulnerable than Windows. So I’d expect that the motivated and well-resourced groups behind targeted attacks such as the Aurora incident in January will not be deterred by this change.”

      Google declined to say much about on the matter, stating only that it is “always working to improve the efficiency of [its] business,” and would not comment about specific operational situations.

      Brian Prince
      Brian Prince

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Artificial Intelligence

      9 Best AI 3D Generators You Need...

      Sam Rinko - June 25, 2024 0
      AI 3D Generators are powerful tools for many different industries. Discover the best AI 3D Generators, and learn which is best for your specific use case.
      Read more
      Cloud

      RingCentral Expands Its Collaboration Platform

      Zeus Kerravala - November 22, 2023 0
      RingCentral adds AI-enabled contact center and hybrid event products to its suite of collaboration services.
      Read more
      Artificial Intelligence

      8 Best AI Data Analytics Software &...

      Aminu Abdullahi - January 18, 2024 0
      Learn the top AI data analytics software to use. Compare AI data analytics solutions & features to make the best choice for your business.
      Read more
      Latest News

      Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

      James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
      I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
      Read more
      Video

      Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

      James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
      I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2024 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.