Yet Another Malicious Microsoft Image Exploit

By consumerist.com January 3, 2006


Jeez, Microsoft:

‘Computer security experts were grappling with the threat of a new weakness in Microsoft
s Windows operating system that could put hundreds of millions of PCs at risk of infection by spyware or viruses.

The news marks the latest security setback for Microsoft, the world
s biggest software company, whose Windows operating system is a favourite target for hackers.

The potential [security threat] is huge,
said Mikko Hypp
nen, chief research officer at F-Secure, an antivirus company.
It
s probably bigger than for any other vulnerability we
ve seen. Any version of Windows is vulnerable right now.
‘

The vulnerabilty appears to be yet another exploit involving running malicious codes through images. Didn’t you guys just supposedly fix this?

(Update: Nicholas Weaver posted a link in our Comments section directing us to instruction to an unofficial patch, along with the portent: “It really is that serious.” Microsoft’s patch? Due on January 10th.)

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Comments

  1. The Unicorn says:
    November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    I don’t know if this is in any way related (since it was already in pretty dire straits), but my computer was just run into the ground by sypware & viruses I somehow picked up from a lyrics site.

    Norton couldn’t zap the viruses & AdAware couldn’t zap the spyware — and to top it off, one of these bugs immediately shut down any browser (Explorer or Firefox) that attempted an internet connection.

    All of this is a pretty steep price to pay for the lyrics to “Laffy Taffy.” And if I can blame Microsoft for it, then I’m gonna.

  2. nweaver says:
    November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    INSTALL the unofficial patch. NOW

    http://isc.sans.org/diary.php?storyid=994

    It really is that serious. Its worse than previous vulnerabilities because there are so many ways to exploit it.