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Microsoft Warns of Windows 7 Graphics Flaw

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the leaky-pipes-make-for-wet-basements dept.

Barence writes "A flaw with the graphics driver in Windows 7 could compromise the stability and security of PCs, Microsoft has warned. The vulnerability lies in the Windows Canonical Display Driver (cdd.dll) for the 64-bit versions of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. Microsoft claims that the flaw could lead to machines rebooting or even allow a hacker to remotely execute code, although it claims either eventuality is improbable. Concerned users are being advised to disable Windows Aero until Microsoft can issue a fix."

3 of 262 comments (clear)

  1. Servers by sopssa · · Score: 5, Informative

    and Windows Server 2008 R2

    This is why you don't use unnecessary things like Aero (and graphical displays) on servers. Granted Aero isn't enabled by default on Windows Server 2008, but it's still all unnecessary. Servers are meant to be configured and left running with minimal installs. You can do everything you need to from a command line, and sftp for editing those configuration files. When you have a minimalistic install there's also much less change of some random software having an exploitable bug.

  2. I have noticed something related by HopefulIntern · · Score: 4, Informative

    When I am playing BC2 it sometimes interrupts my game to tell me I have run out of memory and Aero is turning off. I cannot imagine why, I have 1GB GPU and 6GB RAM....

    It seems there are some flaws in Aero on 64 bit systems.

  3. Re:Idiotic Moderators. by brennz · · Score: 3, Informative

    Powershell is by far, one of the best Microsoft has created on the scripting side. Why? They basically took a shell and enhanced it by making it object aware, and giving it access to .net. In Microsoft lingo, cmdlets replace unix utilities.

    I am not a fan of the naming conventions they use in powershell! It makes it harder to write terse scripts.

    Please see

    http://w3.linux-magazine.com/issue/78/Bash_vs._Vista_PowerShell.pdf for a comparison of powershell vs Bash.

    http://blog.brandonbloom.name/2009/04/powershell-condemned-to-reinvent.html