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09/27/2001 Archived Entry: "Microsoft stands by IIS despite Gartner recommendation"

Microsoft stands by IIS despite Gartner recommendation | Computerworld News & Features Story

Microsoft Corp.'s Internet Information Server (IIS) is as secure as comparable products from other vendors, the company said after a Gartner Inc. recommendation that enterprises hit by both the Nimda and Code Red worms look at alternatives.


According to the advisory from Stamford, Conn.-based Gartner, the success of the Nimda worm and of Code Red before that "highlights the risk of using IIS and the effort involved in keeping up with Microsoft's frequent security patches."
Gartner's advisory was issued in the wake of last week's attack by the mass-mailing Nimda worm that infected systems running Microsoft Windows 95, 98, Me, NT and 2000 (see story). Unlike other worms and viruses, Nimda spread via network-based e-mail, as well as by Web browsers, and exploited back doors left behind by previous viruses such as Code Red and Sadmind.


As it had with Code Red, Microsoft recommended installing patches and service packs on virtually every PC and server running the Internet Explorer Web browser, IIS Web servers or the Outlook Express e-mail client, said John Pescatore, a Gartner analyst and author of the advisory (download .pdf).