When Windows 7 starts shipping in October the system will be sent out with a major security flaw, an attack that allows hackers to send out malformed network negotiation requests that send up a “blue screen of death” message.
The attack which affects both 32-bit and 64-bit systems was last discovered in 1999 and hasn’t been used since that time thanks to Microsoft Windows patches. Unfortunately the reworked stack from Vista seems to have invoked the vulnerability from the annals of computer coding.
While Microsoft is well aware of the issue they have not yet released a patch, asking instead that users turn off the Serve Message Block (SMB) feature until a patch becomes available.
Ironically Microsoft has been marketing Windows 7 as the most secure Windows based OS to date. The vulnerability couldn’t be any less convenient for the software manufacturer who is facing stiff competition from Apple’s Snow Leopard OS which has been receiving rave reviews while providing extra virus scans and other security to an already decently fortified OS.
Sure Apple systems aren’t immune to attacks but typically remote attempts are blocked and their 64-bit system is built to withstand these types of memory based attacks. It’s your move Microsoft, what’s it going to be?[via Electronista]
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