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Microsoft Flaw Causes
Panic Over Hackers

By Simon English
The Telegraph - UK
2-11-4



"Computer security experts... said computer systems that control critically important power or water utilities were vulnerable."
 
NEW YORK -- Microsoft caused panic last night with a sudden admission that "critical" flaws in its operating system would allow hackers to break into personal computers across the world.
 
The company warned that all current versions of its Windows operating system were at risk.
 
Computer security experts reacted with anger to the announcement from executives at the world's biggest software company, saying they had alerted them months ago. They said computer systems that control critically important power or water utilities were vulnerable.
 
Windows is the most popular software in the world, with Microsoft so dominant it has faced repeated allegations that it runs a monopoly.
 
A Microsoft security bulletin warned that Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 were exposed to the defect, which seems to allow rogue programmers to break into almost any computer.
 
Microsoft gave the flaw its highest severity rating of "critical".
 
Marc Maiffret, of eEye Digital Security, the firm that discovered the error, said: "We contacted Microsoft about these vulnerabilities 200 days ago, which is insane. Even the most secure Windows networks are vulnerable."
 
Microsoft encouraged customers to download a security measure that could protect their computers, using www.microsoft.com/security.
 
Stephen Toulouse, a security executive, said the flaw was "an extremely deep and pervasive technology in Windows" and urged people to apply the safety patch.
 
Mr Maiffret said: "This is one of the most serious Microsoft vulnerabilities ever released. It will let you get into internet servers, internal networks, pretty much any system."
 
© Copyright of Telegraph Group Limited 2004.
 
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