Zero Day

Ryan Naraine, Emil Protalinski and Dancho Danchev

Layoffs hit Microsoft security unit

By Ryan Naraine | May 6, 2009, 2:53pm PDT

Summary: The latest round of layoffs at Microsoft has taken a toll on Redmond’s security unit. Steve Riley (left), a senior security strategist who served as one of the public faces of Microsoft’s security efforts, had his position eliminated during the second round of cuts that happened this week. Riley is best known for his presentations at security [...]

The latest round of layoffs at Microsoft has taken a toll on Redmond’s security unit.

Steve Riley (left), a senior security strategist who served as one of the public faces of Microsoft’s security efforts, had his position eliminated during the second round of cuts that happened this week.

Riley is best known for his presentations at security conferences and his work on the Protecting Your Windows Network book.

As Mary Jo Foley reported, the brunt of the latest cuts hit Microsoft’s sales, marketing and support units.

If you know of any other high-profile hit in the security unit, shoot me an email: naraine SHIFT 2 gmail.com

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Layoff, Microsoft Corp., Riley, Security, Ryan Naraine

Ryan Naraine is a journalist and social media enthusiast specializing in Internet and computer security issues.

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RE: Layoffs hit Microsoft security unit

lovedong 13th Sep

thank you for posting! grin

3~~ replica watches

View in thread

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OH NO!

kozmcrae 6th May 2009

That's the last department where they should lay people off.

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Agreed

honeymonster 6th May 2009

They (MS) finally had something going for them
in the security department. And then this...
sigh.

And it seems stupid and unnecessary to
eliminate a high-profiler like that. He's
hardly going to speak positively about
Microsoft, and a guy like that has a lot of
listeners.

Not a got strategic move. Not a good PR move.

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Kind of..

tuomo@... 6th May 2009

Agreed, not a very good PR move but as for he speaking about MS - if he is, as I think, a professional it doesn't matter. You never talk negatively and if you are a real security professional (not a marketeer, car salesman) not even positively, you only talk about facts!

Agreed - stupid to get rid of good security or any other professionals but that's the reality today. Seen that over many (35+) years, seen the results, seen the decision makers moving up / getting rewarded until something else stupid happens, so ?? For IT / computer people, it's (short term) profits that counts, anything else is just a dream today, maybe tomorrow?

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And how do you know....

OhTheHumanity 7th May 2009

That this guy was worth what they were paying him and all that? Do you know his work ethic there? Does he bring anymore value to the company outside of public speaking? Sometimes you have to weigh the benefit of keeping someone or letting them go and in these times they are more likely to let go someone that is not pulling their own weight. It happens everywhere and just because you work for Microsoft in the security division does not make you important, especially if you don't bring much value? Not saying he doesn't but how the heck do we know.

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Concurred

Alan Smithie Updated - 7th May 2009

Windows security used to be laughable but has improved of late, they need to keep spending in the right direction.

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C2 in 1995

pwn0tr0n 7th May 2009

I still remember when NT 3.5 got c2 certified by the NCSC in 1995. It qualified as long as it was on a closed network (no outside connections) with NT Server and NT clients.

Yea it's definitely better than it used to be LOL

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They also hit sales and marketing ...

fr0thy2 Updated - 7th May 2009

... perhaps they're planning an honesty reform.
</sarcasm>

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It would be impossible not to.

kozmcrae 7th May 2009

Ninety thousand people work at Microsoft. Ten thousand are coders, the rest, 80,000, are all related to sales. Microsoft is a marketing company with a programming department.

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Idiot

de-void-21165590650301806002836337787023 11th May 2009

Y'know, with just a little effort, you might be able to find out a few facts!

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/inside_ms.mspx#EADAE

Functional Breakout (Worldwide)
Role Employees
------------------------------------------
Business Group 45,909
Sales & Marketing Support Group 39,140
Operations Group 9,979

Less than half the company are in SMSG. SMSG contains sales and marketing but also includes Consulting, Premier, Support, Learning, internal training & readiness, etc.

Operations include people who run the company's operations - HR, Legal, Finance, etc.

Business Groups include everyone directly involved in creating products - dev, test, PM, evangelism, management.

I think you'd be surprised just how few Sales & Marketing people there are at Microsoft!

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RE: Layoffs hit Microsoft security unit

lovedong 13th Sep

thank you for posting! grin

3~~ replica watches

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RE: Layoffs hit Microsoft security unit

coolnerd16 6th May 2009

instead of laying off people the big shot
executives can cut there bonuses and other perks
they are enjoying... at least that will save some
jobs

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Windows has no security...

Christian_<>< 6th May 2009

What security, it has conficker I know?

Is that security?

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Please don't feed the troll (nt)

honeymonster 6th May 2009

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Why in the world do you want to starve yourself?

InAction Man Updated - 7th May 2009

I'm glad it's only words, I can see you're still feeding yourself. I don't want to see you starving to death.

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Don't blame windows for that

Gladiatorcn 7th May 2009

Any system can be broken! There are also a lot of vulnerabilities in Linux as well.
The point is how quickly can a company react.

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Don't blame Windows for Windows insecurity?

fr0thy2 7th May 2009

Oh ok, I'll blame Microsoft's sloppy rush to market attitude.

And don't say there isn't one, as they've admitted it themselves.

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My Windows doesn't

de-void-21165590650301806002836337787023 11th May 2009

Nor do the PC's of anyone else I know.

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RE: Layoffs hit Microsoft security unit

phatkat 7th May 2009

This is like an airline removing the lifevest from the airplanes that fly over land to "save" money.
http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/story?id=5677587
We found would be stupid move after US Airways Flight 1549.
However, management and the financial gurus never learn eliminating certain things that appears good now but reality is a bad idea.
Microsoft stupid in doing this.