The world's reliance on Microsoft operating systems is leaving critical computer networks unnecessarily vulnerable to attack, claim security experts. A report published on Wednesday by the Computer and Communications Industry Association says that Microsoft's dominance in PC operating systems has created a 'monoculture' that allows viruses to spread like wildfire over the Internet. This lack of diversity allows even simple viruses, created in minutes by so called 'script kiddies' to wreak havoc within hours of creation. "Nature does not put up with monocultures because they are too easy to attack," says Daniel Geer, one of the paper's authors and chief technology officer for the security company AtStake. "If everything looks just alike . . . it will promptly be punished." The security problems created by Microsoft are a direct result of the company's business practices, claims the report. The company's systems are designed to keep out competitors rather than intruders, say the authors. "Their goal is to facilitate lock-in of Microsoft products," says Bruce Schneier, chief technology officer of Counterpane Internet Security, one of the report's authors. Microsoft vehemently denies the charges. Full article here.