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Windows XP SP3 Causing Router Crashes

Posted by timothy on from the insecurity-through-non-obscurity dept.

KrispyBytes writes "Windows XP SP3 has been named as the culprit causing home routers to go into a crash and reboot cycle. One router maker has released firmware updates to fix the problem, but has not yet revealed what is actually different about XP SP3's networking stack or UPnP behaviour that causes the problem. Router maker Billion Managing Director Raaj Menon said "as Microsoft plans to make Windows XP SP3 an automatic upgrade this month, the number of affected routers may increase significantly.""

7 of 337 comments (clear)

  1. Tinfoil hat time! by larry+bagina · · Score: 0, Troll

    We all know that most routers use Linux, usually an old kernel that won't/can't be upgraded. I'm wondering if they are intentionally exploiting a bug in the linux TCP/IP stack to cause crashes/instability/etc. With MS trying to get in on the phone/embedded device market, they could license NT/IIS for router usage and make some serious cash.

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  2. Re:Before anyone goes on a MS rant by RiotingPacifist · · Score: 0, Troll

    True but it takes two to tango, just like a website should never crash a browser it is relevent that the OS/website is abusing the specifications soo badly to cause the crashes.
    It is the manufactures fault that thier crashing, but this bug wouldnt be seen if xp was behaving correctly.

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  3. Nah... by msauve · · Score: -1, Troll

    a router which impliments protocols in a fully compliant manner might crash if some device send non-compliant packets its way.

    Sure, the router should be robust against such things, but the actual cause is the illegal packets.

    Saying it's the router's fault is like trying to blame someone's death by TASER on the deceased, and not the person who pulled the trigger, because they weren't supposed to die. Or saying that a successful denial of service attack isn't the fault of the attacker, it's the server's fault because it wasn't robust enough.

    Having said that, it would be premature to blame MS in this case, there are just not enough details to point a finger.

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    "National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
  4. Re:Before anyone goes on a MS rant by BitterOak · · Score: 0, Troll

    Nonsense. Any router that can be crashed by anything that a computer connected to it does has a critical bug and should be recalled immediately. Really? So if I have an especially nasty computer that sends a 100kV "signal" down the twisted pair cable to the router, it's the router's fault if it gets fried?
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  5. Re:Man-Denis! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    No, what you need to do is go back to slurping your dad's cum out of your mom's furry love hole.

  6. Re:No lies, just a bad track record. by hikaricloud · · Score: -1, Troll

    Hey. Assface. We are GETTING IN scads of computers. From clients. To fix. Think before you post.

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    There's a lot of fucked up shit on the internet. And I've downloaded it all.
  7. Re:Not surprising by postbigbang · · Score: 0, Troll

    You mean your tongue isn't in your cheek?

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