Google Find Web Dark Side, BBC Hide It

Once again the journalistic integrity of the BBC News is being called into question.

'One in 10 web pages scrutinised by search giant Google contained malicious code that could infect a user's PC', begins the BBC News article, but nowhere is the obvious mentioned: namely that this blight only affects Microsoft Windows.

Researchers from Google surveyed billions of sites and subjected 4.5 million pages to an 'in-depth analysis', report the BBC. 10% of these sites - 450,000 - were capable of launching 'drive bys' - merely visiting these sites infects Windows computers. And a further 700,000 sites contained code that could in other ways compromise Windows machines.

Google researcher Niels Provos has released the USENIX paper The Ghost In The Browser - Analysis of Web-based Malware detailing the issues. None of this is of course new to users acquainted with the shortcomings of Microsoft Windows.

The BBC do admit that 'the vast majority [of attacks] exploit vulnerabilities in Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser to install themselves' but typically do not state outright that such compromises are only possible when running Microsoft Windows.

The BBC are again doing their readership a grave disservice.

Not the First Time

This is not the first time BBC News keep important consumer information away from their readers. Already in May 2000 when the 'ILOVEYOU' worm wreaked havoc on the planet BBC News refused to inform readers for over 48 hours that this attack only threatened Microsoft Windows. Gary Mitchell expressed the disappointment of millions.

Surely the BBC has responsibility to the truth, to explain fully? I have just watched your lead item on BBC News 24 and then read your headline article on the web. In neither do you take the time to explain that the danger lays with those running Microsoft Windows and Outlook. No, you use the blanket term 'computers'.

Previous attempts by this site to address these issues have been met with blanket dismissals and weak coverups.

See Also
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