Microsoft finds dangerous security hole in Windows
Microsoft has issued a worldwide security alert outside its regular cycle of alerts to protect Windows users. The software giant has discovered a vulnerability in all currently supported versions of Windows and wants to plug the hole as soon as...
Microsoft has issued a worldwide security alert outside its regular cycle of alerts to protect Windows users. The software giant has discovered a vulnerability in all currently supported versions of Windows and wants to plug the hole as soon as possible.
Microsoft Malta is trying to contact users of its operating system software to take immediate action over this matter.
Security bulletin MS08-067, named Vulnerability in Server Service Could Allow Remote Code Execution (958644), resolves a privately reported vulnerability in the server service.
"The vulnerability could allow remote code execution if an affected system received a specially crafted RPC request. On Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003 systems, an attacker could exploit this vulnerability without authentication to run arbitrary code. It is possible that this vulnerability could be used in the crafting of a wormable exploit," Microsoft said.
In simple words, this means a computer running one of the mentioned version of Windows can be hijacked and used to infect other computers with malware such as a worm.
The vulnerability was found in the way computers in a network communicate with each other, especially servers and dependent computers.
Microsoft said firewall best practices and standard default firewall configurations can help protect network resources from attacks that originate outside the enterprise perimeter.
The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting the way that the server service handles RPC requests.
The software company recommends customers prepare their systems and networks to apply this security bulletin immediately to help ensure that their computers are protected from attempted criminal attacks.
http://www.microsoft.com/protect
Microsoft Malta is trying to contact users of its operating system software to take immediate action over this matter.
Security bulletin MS08-067, named Vulnerability in Server Service Could Allow Remote Code Execution (958644), resolves a privately reported vulnerability in the server service.
"The vulnerability could allow remote code execution if an affected system received a specially crafted RPC request. On Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003 systems, an attacker could exploit this vulnerability without authentication to run arbitrary code. It is possible that this vulnerability could be used in the crafting of a wormable exploit," Microsoft said.
In simple words, this means a computer running one of the mentioned version of Windows can be hijacked and used to infect other computers with malware such as a worm.
The vulnerability was found in the way computers in a network communicate with each other, especially servers and dependent computers.
Microsoft said firewall best practices and standard default firewall configurations can help protect network resources from attacks that originate outside the enterprise perimeter.
The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting the way that the server service handles RPC requests.
The software company recommends customers prepare their systems and networks to apply this security bulletin immediately to help ensure that their computers are protected from attempted criminal attacks.
http://www.microsoft.com/protect