Vulnerabilities and Patches
The vulnerability lies in the Windows Virtual DOS Machine (VDM) subsystem.
By Kara Reeder
Page of | Back to Page 1
Microsoft is warning users of a 17-year-old bug in the kernel of all 32-bit versions of Windows that hackers could use to hijack PCs, reports Computerworld.
This article was originally published on Jan 21, 2010
The vulnerability, which was discovered by Google engineer Tavis Ormandy, lies in the Windows Virtual DOS Machine (VDM) subsystem. The advisory instructs users to disable VDM as a workaround.
Microsoft says it is not aware of any attacks using the vulnerability, but explains:
An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code in kernel mode. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights.
