i think the MS web page is greatly underplaying the threat, which
contradicts
what their own security guy is saying to the press. Check out these
quotes,
the news and patch links are at the bottom, or go to this news.com page
which
has links to the patch page in it also:
< http://news.com.com/2100-7355_3-5156647.html?tag=nefd_top >
From the Associated Press:
Microsoft, which learned about the flaws more than six months ago from
researchers,
said the only protective solution was to apply a repairing patch it
offered on its Web site.
It assessed the threat to computer users as ''critical,'' its highest
rating.
Microsoft's security guy Stephen Toulouse:
A Microsoft security executive, Stephen Toulouse, said the flawed
software
was ''an extremely deep and pervasive technology in Windows,'' and
urged customers to apply the patch immediately.
The flaw bears a resemblance to the one that allowed MSBlast to spread
in August 2003,
said Stephen Toulouse, security program manager at Microsoft's security
response center.
"It is relatively similar in terms of the number of computers it could
affect," he said,
adding that the flaw "is in all versions of Windows."
Microsoft security executive, Stephen Toulouse, said the flawed
software was
''an extremely deep and pervasive technology in Windows,'' and urged
customers to apply the patch immediately.
Here's what eEye says:
''This is one of the most serious Microsoft vulnerabilities ever
released,'' said Marc Maiffret of eEye Digital Security Inc. of Aliso
Viejo, Calif., which discovered the new Windows flaws. ''The breadth of
systems affected is probably the largest ever. This is something that
will let you get into Internet servers, internal networks, pretty much
any system.''
Maiffret said some computer systems that control critically important
power or water utilities were vulnerable.
Maiffret predicted hackers will try to unleash a damaging Internet
infection within weeks. Unlike earlier vulnerabilities that spawned
such attacks, hackers can exploit the newly disclosed flaws to break
into susceptible computers using dozens of methods, making any defense
far more difficult.
''The race will be on,'' agreed Marcus Sachs, a former White House
adviser on cybersecurity.
- (comment here - MS' web page says it's only in NT and up operating
system so who knows
what's correct - MS contradicting itself)
I'll try putting the link to the patch page in brackets here:
<
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/?url=/technet/security/
bulletin/MS04-007.asp >
AP warning story:
<
http://www.boston.com/dailynews/041/wash/
Microsoft_warns_consumers_abou:.shtml >
< http://news.com.com/2100-7355_3-5156647.html?tag=nefd_top >
|