'Critical' flaw found in Windows

[Basher]

Just a bit of news for ya. Thought was interesting ....

Linky: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3092399.stm

Microsoft has issued a warning about a critical security flaw that affects most versions of its Windows software.
The flaw involves DirectX, an extensive collection of programming add-ons for Windows used by computer games.

If exploited, the flaw could allow a malicious hacker to run their own specially crafted computer code to plant a virus or even take over a machine.

Microsoft has given the flaw its highest severity rating.

Music mayhem

The flaw affects a large number of the versions of Microsoft Windows in use.

Embarrassingly for Microsoft one of the products affected is Windows Server 2003.

This was supposed to be much more secure as it was one of the first products to go through Microsoft's improved systems for weeding out bugs and security problems.

On Windows Server 2003 the bug is only rated as "important" by Microsoft because the default settings would not allow such a program to be run.

The vulnerability comes about because of the way that a part of DirectX, called DirectShow, handles MIDI or music files.

MIDI, or Musical Instrument Digital Interface, defines a standardised way of swapping music information between computers, music keyboards and synthesisers.

The flaw, found by eEye Security, would allow a specially crafted MIDI instruction to swamp the cache, or buffer, in DirectX and allow a hidden program within it to run on the target machine.

Such buffer overflow bugs are quite a common way for malicious programs to infect a machine.

Microsoft has issued an alert about the flaw and a patch to close the loophole. It said that currently there were no known exploits of the bug.

The instruction could get into a computer by being put on a webpage.

It can also be put into an e-mail message that uses web formatting.

The DirectX flaw is the latest in a series of security problems that Microsoft has warned about over the last few weeks.

[Jonny M]

Thanks for the heads-up, getting my updates now.

[Agent]

Blimey - you get them in everything from MS these days !

[Nimrod]

Its such a mission having to continually test this updates with the software that runs on the systems to ensure that everything will continue to work after the update.

*cries*

[joshwa]

this is a major pain in the bum for people who run windows servers, becuase every week or 2 you're having to update the server, reboot etc, to keep it updated.

[LoopyJuice]

TBH i've just come to accept that MS products have more holes than swiss cheese, the patches are so regular i have resorted to awaiting the service pack releases, having said that, i do have a NAT router and a decent firewall setup and my IP changes every 2 hours so i am not too worried about hackers, expliots are the worst but I usually don't run anything without knowing where it has come from and only 5 people have my proper email address all emails on my normal account are usually just flushed every few days. I've never had any problems yet...

[Agent]

Originally posted by LoopyJuice
TBH i've just come to accept that MS products have more holes than swiss cheese, the patches are so regular i have resorted to awaiting the service pack releases, having said that, i do have a NAT router and a decent firewall setup and my IP changes every 2 hours so i am not too worried about hackers, expliots are the worst but I usually don't run anything without knowing where it has come from and only 5 people have my proper email address all emails on my normal account are usually just flushed every few days. I've never had any problems yet...

Yup, the best weapon in computer security is usualy common sence

[Swafe]

sheesh another?

i might as well buy a giant patch these days instead of windows, i dont think much of windows is left, everythings been patched

[spikegifted]

See, this is the problem with dominance... When your product has a near monopoly in the market, everyone (and I mean anyone who can) will take a shot at it... If enough people take enough pot-shots at it, someone, somewhere will find cracks in the armor!