Hackers? Come on in ….
p2pnet.net News:- How many ordinary computer users – that’s to say people who don’t have trouble constantly in mind – regularly check for Windows updates, critical or otherwise?
In all likelihood, not that many.
If they were running Windows 2000 and they had a look on April 13, they’d have seen this:
Cumulative Security Update for Outlook Express 6 Service Pack 1 (KB837009)
Download size: 1.9 MB, < 1 minute
A security issue has been identified in Microsoft Outlook Express that could allow an attacker to read files on your computer, or cause a program to run. You can help protect your computer by installing this update. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer. Read more…
Security Update for Windows 2000 (KB837001)
Download size: 290 KB, < 1 minute
A security issue has been identified that could allow an attacker to compromise a computer running Windows and gain control over it. You can help protect your computer by installing this update from Microsoft. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer. Read more…
Security Update for Windows 2000 (KB828741)
Download size: 294 KB, < 1 minute
A security issue has been identified that could allow an attacker to compromise a computer running Windows and gain control over it. You can help protect your computer by installing this update from Microsoft. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer. Read more…
Security Update for Windows 2000 (KB835732)
Download size: 295 KB, < 1 minute
Multiple security issues have been identified that could allow an attacker to compromise a computer running Windows and gain complete control over it. You can help protect your computer by installing this update from Microsoft. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer. Read more…
Scary. Especially when you remember all those other critical updates.
And if they’d gone on to their favourite news search engine, they might have come across this Reuters report saying.
“Microsoft Corp … warned on Tuesday that three ‘critical’-rated flaws in the Windows operating system and other programs could allow hackers to sneak into personal computers and snoop on sensitive data.
“The security warning was announced with another software vulnerability rated ‘important’ as part of Microsoft’s monthly security bulletin” and related to the latest Windows versions including NT 4.0, Win98, Win2000, WinXP, as well as software for networked computers such as Windows NT Server and Windows Server 2003.
The warning was issued “with a software patch that fixes the problem on Windows operating systems dating back to Windows 98, as well as software that is part of Internet Explorer and the Outlook express e-mail program,” it says, continuing that the ‘flaws’ could allow attackers to break into PCs running Windows in several ways and then use the system to run malicious programs and steal or delete key data.
Tuesday’s bulletin is the 14th issued so far, half of which were rated as critical, says Reuters, adding that last year, Microsoft issued 51 security bulletins.
Two years ago, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates pledged to make Microsoft’s software products more secure and reliable under an initiative dubbed “Trustworthy Computing.”
Outlook Express, the e-mail program that is included in Windows, is also affected by one of the security flaws, Microsoft said.
