Microsoft warns users of Windows XP on an increase in the number of attacks attempting to exploit a new vulnerability, which was unveiled in June.
It concerns vulnerability in the protocol used for help files in Windows XP and Windows Server 2003.
The vulnerability was discovered by a security expert from Google’s branch in Switzerland, which allegedly advised Microsoft on 5th June, but chose to publish vulnerability already the 10th June.
Quickly code to exploit the vulnerability began circulating the internet.
A company normally gets up to three month to fix an issue like this, but Microsoft was given 5 days. This has made a stir in the security circles.
Microsoft warns that the company in recent days has seen a huge increase in the number of attacks using the vulnerability. It is only under Microsoft Windows XP, which the vulnerability is, but the now nine years old operating system is still the most widespread variant of Windows.
According to Microsoft, the security hole can temporarily be closed completely by turning off helpfileprotocol. This means that all help files and some functions in the Control Panel in Windows XP will not work.
Microsoft has not yet announced if they will have a new security patch ready before 13th June, which is the planned date for the monthly updates.
