Redmond: Vista Virus? What Vista Virus?

Last week's news of a Vista virus is incorrect, says Microsoft. According to a spokesman writing in his blog, the code that any purported virus would target is not part of Vista, and wouldn't be for at least 3 years:

Microsoft has hit back at reports of the first virus for its new version of Windows, dubbed Vista.

Last week an Austrian programmer published examples of malicious code that exploits a Microsoft command shell technology currently under development.

But the software giant has said the technology targeted will not be part of the next version of Windows.

"These reports pose no risk for Microsoft customers," said the firm's Stephen Toulouse in a blog posting.

Vista, previously codenamed Longhorn, is due for release towards the end of 2006, half a decade after Windows XP.

More from the Beeb here.

So there you have it. The Redmond party line: There are no Vista viruses here. Reading between the lines: But that's only due to the fact that we're leaving the bit with the vulnerability out, in an attempt to get the bloody OS shipped by the end of the decade...

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