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New Windows XP Zero-Day Under Attack

Posted by Soulskill on from the escalation-of-stale-operating-system-attack dept.

wiredmikey writes "A new Windows kernel zero-day vulnerability is being exploited in targeted attacks against Windows XP users. Microsoft confirmed the issue and published a security advisory to acknowledge the flaw after anti-malware vendor FireEye warned that the Windows bug is being used in conjunction with an Adobe Reader exploit to infect Windows machines with malware. Microsoft described the issue as an elevation of privilege vulnerability that allows an attacker to run arbitrary code in kernel mode. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full administrative rights."

2 of 241 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Upate to the most current by mlts · · Score: 5, Interesting

    For Web browsing in a VM, it is hard to beat XP for something that takes 512 MB of RAM, 16-24 gigs of disk space (partitioned into two disks, one for the system, one for scratch space for sandboxie's sandbox.) Its footprint is so light, the VM can stay resident on a box with 6-8 gigs of memory without issue, even with running fairly larger applications like Acrobat [1], Photoshop, Dreamweaver, and Flash.

    I use Acrobat for producing PDFs for long term storage, FoxIt for viewing. So far, so good.

  2. Re:Upate to the most current by LoRdTAW · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It sounds like he might be running a PC based CNC system that uses a PC for control. You posted a DNC box that is for uploading programs via DNC which has always been serial. Some older PC based CNC controllers used the parallel port (especially common for stepper systems). Systems that used brushless servos typically used some type of dedicated hardware to close the servo loop and is commanded via the PC. Typically those were ISA cards with a DSP on board but also parallel based units were available.

    I also support the PC based CNC systems at my place of work. The system is quite advanced and uses a real time subsystem which only supports Windows 2000/XP. One of the systems is XP and the others are Windows 2000. New software costs about 4k and depending on the drives used, may require new drives at a cost of $1700 per axis. We still have one DOS based CNC system left, an ISA/DSP card with proprietary vendor written software supported by one guy on planet earth. Since that system sees little use it is not worth to $30k+ to upgrade to a modern CNC system. And that price is just to keep the existing motors and stages, $60+k for a complete replacement.