Windows 7: New Windows vulnerability?

stevieray · 19 Jan 2010

My mother just emailed me in a panic. She heard a rumor that the code for xp, vista, and seven was leaked and is now "public", so now all Windows pcs are suddenly vulnerable to attacks. Anybody heard any new rumors like this?

Dwarf · 19 Jan 2010

I've not heard any rumours about this, although it is probably true that you can find the code if you search for it. All OSes are vulnerable to attack if you don't have security installed - this means an upto date Anti-Virus program and an enabled firewall (Windows or a 3rd party).

pparks1 · 19 Jan 2010

I haven't heard anything like this. From a security perspective...it wouldn't be terrible if the source was available. That's often quoted as a benefit of open source software is that people can see exactly how it works and more eyes looking at the code often results in more bugs and problems found/fixed.

Dwarf · 19 Jan 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by pparks1

From a security perspective...it wouldn't be terrible if the source was available. That's often quoted as a benefit of open source software is that people can see exactly how it works and more eyes looking at the code often results in more bugs and problems found/fixed.

Unfortunately, that can work both ways. Legitimate users (and developers) can view the code, make improvements and close any vulnerabilities, but so can hackers and other malicious people whose intent is much the opposite.

stevieray · 19 Jan 2010

I gotta get her to stop listening to her sister-in-law. She emails everybody she knows every conspiracy theory/scare story she comes across, and sometimes my mom makes the mistake of believing her.

So, there is no new Windows problems? XP today is in the same place it was yesterday?

I'll email her back and calm her down... maybe I'll have her switch to MSE... it'll give her something to do and make her feel proactive.

Thanks!

Airbot · 19 Jan 2010

Maybe she was referring to this news perhaps -

Attack code used to hack Google now public

stevieray · 19 Jan 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by Airbot

Maybe she was referring to this news perhaps -

Attack code used to hack Google now public

Perhaps... but I hope not. That would mean she confused an OS with a browser, and a browser she doesn't even use anymore at that (I moved her to FF about a year ago. She loves it, mainly because I changed her theme to one with cats as buttons. *shrug* What can I do..? She's a mom, and moms seem to be that way.) And to make it worse, she's had a computer for about two decades now!

pparks1 · 19 Jan 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by Dwarf

Quote: Originally Posted by pparks1

From a security perspective...it wouldn't be terrible if the source was available. That's often quoted as a benefit of open source software is that people can see exactly how it works and more eyes looking at the code often results in more bugs and problems found/fixed.

Unfortunately, that can work both ways. Legitimate users (and developers) can view the code, make improvements and close any vulnerabilities, but so can hackers and other malicious people whose intent is much the opposite.

This is true, but as long as patches are regularly released, it seems that more often than not in the open source community the issues are fixed, rather than creating more issues. You don't usually see all that many attacks which completely trash a box or take over ownership in the Linux world. They do happen, but it's far more rare.

pebbly · 19 Jan 2010

is it refering to this

Microsoft readies emergency IE patch to counter public exploits

Time: 10:50 EST/15:50 GMT | News Source: All About Microsoft | Posted By: Kenneth van SurksumMicrosoft has started dropping broad hints that an emergency patch for Internet Explorer will be released very soon to counter targeted attacks and the publication of exploit code for a “browse and you’re owned” vulnerability in its flagship Web browser.

The out-of-band update will be released once the company is satisfied that it has been properly tested against all affected versions of Windows. This could happen as early as this weekend.
Comment here! - 0 Comments for this story.

taken from active win

valtonray · 19 Jan 2010

as always the best defense against virus and attack is to keep your a/v software and firewalls up dated and to practice safe browsing.

Windows 7: New Windows vulnerability?

New Windows vulnerability? problems?