Patched Windows vuln exploited

As Microsoft plugs security holes, hackers quickly take advantage.

An exploit has been sighted using a vulnerability patched this week, as part of

Microsoft

‘s ‘Patch Tuesday’ set of security updates. The monthly release covered a hefty number of problems, one of which, buffer overflow

MS06-040

, has since been subject to exploitation, amid fears that further malware using the exploit may soon emerge. Several of the other vulnerabilities had already been taken advantage of by hackers.

The new exploit will only affect

XP

systems with no service packs installed, and older

2000

and

NT

systems, so is unlikely to cause general devastation. ‘This should serve as a reminder to

Windows

users everywhere of the need to keep up to date,’ said John Hawes, Technical Consultant at

Virus Bulletin

. ‘

Microsoft

‘s announcements make it clear just where the security gaps are, and anyone slow to patch them will be an easy target.’

Read

Microsoft

‘s announcement of the issue

here

, and read more about the exploit at


vnunet


or at


ComputerWorld


.

Posted on 11 August 2006 by

Virus Bulletin