MESSAGE
| DATE | 2010-02-06 |
| FROM | Ruben Safir
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| SUBJECT | Subject: [NYLXS - HANGOUT] Worlds most secure Operating System
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Microsoft tackles 17-year-old bug
A 17-year-old bug in Windows will be patched by Microsoft in its latest
security update.
The February update for Windows will close the loophole that dates from
the time of the DOS operating system.
First appearing in Windows NT 3.1, the vulnerability has been carried
over into almost every version of Windows that has appeared since.
The monthly security update will also tackle a further 25 holes in
Windows, five of which are rated as "critical".
Home hijack
The ancient bug was discovered by Google security researcher Tavis
Ormandy in January 2010 and involves a utility that allows newer
versions of Windows to run very old programs.
Mr Ormandy has found a way to exploit this utility in Windows XP,
Windows Server 2003 and 2008 as well as Windows Vista and Windows 7.
The patch for this vulnerability will appear in the February security
update. Five of the vulnerabilities being patched at the same time allow
attackers to effectively hijack a Windows PC and run their own programs
on it.
STAYING SAFE ONLINE
# Use security software that can tackle viruses and spyware
# Use a firewall
# Apply operating system updates as soon as they become available
# Be suspicious of unsolicited e-mails bearing attachments
# Keep your browser up to date
As well as fixing holes in many versions of Windows, the update also
tackles bugs in Office XP, Office 2003 and Office 2004 for Apple
Macintosh machines.
The bumper update is not the largest that Microsoft has ever released.
The security update for October 2009 tackled a total of 34
vulnerabilities. Eight of those updates were rated as critical - the
highest level.
In January 2010, Microsoft released an "out of band" patch for a serious
vulnerability in Internet Explorer that was being exploited online. The
vulnerability was also thought to be the one used to attack Google in
China.
Following the attack on Google, many other cyber criminals started
seeking ways to exploit the loophole.
Also this week, a security researcher has reported the discovery of a
vulnerability in Internet Explorer that allows attackers to view the
files held on a victim's machine.
Microsoft has issued a security bulletin about the problem and aims to
tackle it at a future date. At the moment there is no evidence that this
latest find is being actively exploited online.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/technology/8499859.stm
Published: 2010/02/05 11:36:02 GMT
© BBC MMX
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