This year kicked off with yet another panic over a vulnerability in Windows, this time an image-handling flaw that exposed users to attack if they encountered a malicious Windows Metafile (WMF). The WMF bug caused significant damage, but less than some expected, which may indicate that the industry is gradually learning to manage client security.
Operating systems, even Windows, are getting more secure. Automatic software updates, running with limited user rights, safer web browsers and better firewalls are gradually making a difference. By contrast, problems with web applications are harder to manage.