Wednesday, 16 May 2007

Critical Flaws Found in Microsoft's Software

Microsoft has issued seven advisories, all rated critical, to address 19 security holes in a variety of its products. The patches resolve issues in Microsoft Office products (such as Excel and Word), Internet Explorer and Microsoft Windows. The vulnerabilities could allow remote...

Microsoft has issued seven advisories, all rated critical, to address 19 security holes in a variety of its products. The patches resolve issues in Microsoft Office products (such as Excel and Word), Internet Explorer and Microsoft Windows. The vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution, enabling a hacker to access data on a vulnerable PC or run malicious code such as a worm.

One of the most eagerly anticipated patches is MS07-029, which addresses a flaw in the Windows DNS RPC interface. Last month, zero day worms like W32/Delbot-AI (also known as Nirbot or Rinbot) spread via the vulnerability, turning affected PCs into part of a zombie network.

"Just like last month, security holes are being found which impact Windows users, including adopters of Microsoft Windows Vista," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos. "Whether you are using the latest version of Windows or not, it makes sense to keep up-to-date with the latest security patches and roll them out across your business as a matter of priority. Hackers have shown no mercy in the past taking advantages of vulnerabilities in Microsoft's code, and taking action now will help defend your network and keep your company out of trouble."