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It was reported that just a day after Microsoft squashed a dozen bugs in its software, there remained an unpatched bug in Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 capable of locking up systems and forcing a complete shutdown in order to regain control. Turns out the report was true, as Microsoft Friday evening confirmed that the unpatched vulnerability does indeed exist.
"Microsoft is aware of public, detailed exploit code that would cause a system to stop functioning or become unreliable," Dave Forstrom, a spokesman for Microsoft security group, said in an email. "The company is not aware of attacks to exploit the reported vulnerability at this time."
In theory, the attacks could be targeted towards any browser. Should a user be tricked into visiting a malicious site, hackers could send out tainted URIs (uniform resource identifiers) and crash their PCs.
Microsoft didn't give a time frame on when it will patch the bug. In the meantime, users can stay protected by blocking TCP ports 139 and 445 at the firewall, although doing so would also disable browsers and a host of critical services, including network file-sharing and IT group policies, ComputerWorld reports.
Image Credit: Microsoft
Comments are closed on this article
cola65
July 07, 2010 at 9:38am
How about a link to the ComputerWorld article that had that quote? I'm trying to understand how blocking ports 139 and 445 will "kill a browser." For the most part, Microsoft has recommended that in the past because of Netbios security problems and my browsers never died.
Then again, would prefer not having to explicitly block ports.
MeTo
November 16, 2009 at 10:40am
Personally right now my machines are 4 Win Vista and 1 Win 7 and its things like this that really cheeses me off. When Win 7 came out i thought i would give Microsoft a second chance and i see they are doing the same old crap.
"Microsoft didn't give a time frame on when it will patch the bug. In
the meantime, users can stay protected by blocking TCP ports 139 and
445 at the firewall, although doing so would also disable browsers and
a host of critical services, including network file-sharing and IT
group policies, ComputerWorld reports."So we are not to go on internet till they get it fixed. They striped so much stuff out of Vista to speed it up and called it Win 7. It seams some of the stuff they striped out was security stuff. Win 7 was supposed to be there most secure operating system.
MacimumPC
November 16, 2009 at 9:08am
...Except you could still use Snow Leopard to its fullest if you didn't have a guest account to screw things up. Oh and that bug is fixed anyway so...moot point. Apparently Win7 is not the bulletproof juggernaut you all claim it to be. Happy browsing...oooh...sorry. Oh come on now...don't be that way! You guys did have a field day with that guest account bug in Snow Leopard. Im just returning the favor...and further propagating the myth that Mac users are smug elitists. Its nothing personal.
Wingzero_x
November 16, 2009 at 9:51am
The difference is Microsoft doesn't go on national tv and claim how they are impervious to malware. BTW love the elitist Mac user part, good job! You elitist 'bastage'! ;)
MacimumPC
November 16, 2009 at 11:39am
They couldn't do that even if they really wanted to. Not with their stellar track record. They'd never get away with it.
nekollx
November 16, 2009 at 11:07am
or claim "moving to a new system" will just be a choice of venders as they do with Seven vs OSX (lets ignore the fact none of your softwere will transfer)
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Techrocket9
November 16, 2009 at 8:39am
I don't think disabling large portions of the Operating System is really a fix.
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An army of pacifists can be defeated by one man with the will to fight.
