Leading computer security firm McAfee has taken the unprecedented step of taking out a newspaper advertisement warning that Microsoft is taking risks with its new Vista operating system.

The full-page advertisement in Monday's Financial Times of Britain said Microsoft, the world's largest software company, is increasing the risk of hacking and virus infection by for the first time preventing other software firms from accessing the core of the operating system, known as the 'kernel'.

This, argued McAfee, is preventing others from releasing add-ons to improve Vista's security. Meanwhile attacks on previous Windows operating systems have become commonplace.

"With its upcoming Vista operating system, Microsoft is embracing the flawed logic that the computer will be more secure if it stops co-operating with the independent security firms," McAfee's chairman and chief executive Officer George Samenuk said in the advertisement.

The European Commission (EC) is concerned that Vista's release could represent monopoly abuse. The EC had previously fined Microsoft the euro equivalent of US$41.5 billion in 2004 for anti-competitive behaviour.

Vista, which will replace the Windows operating system, is currently undergoing testing and is to be launched for business customers next month and for consumers early next year.

ross.sheil@gleanerjm.com