It is always positive to see technology giants patch security vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by assailants, and Microsoft has done exactly that. Seven vulnerabilities have been patched, shutting the door for malware and ransomware infections through these security flaws.
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Microsoft Tackles Badlock Bug With New Patch
Although it is all but impossible to completely secure an operating system, Microsoft has taken out several attack vectors assailants might have wanted to exploit in the coming months. A bunch of security fixes has been released to close various security vulnerabilities in the Windows operating system, as well as other software that comes bundled with the OS.
One of these bugs, dubbed the Badlock file-sharing exploit, had to be addressed sooner rather than later. Through this exploit, assailants would be able to sniff out computer traffic, modify user passwords, or even shut down critical services. This is not something individual users nor enterprises want to deal with.
Badlock.org, a website containing all of the information regarding this exploit and which threats it can pose, made mention of how new exploit kits will be making their way to underground forums looking to exploit the Samba vulnerabilities. Windows users are advised to download the latest security updates sooner rather than later, and ensure system stability.
Other security fixes include some small updates to Internet Explorer security, as well as a critical update for the Microsoft Graphics Component. This latter part is of great importance, as four different security vulnerabilities have been plugged, and two of these flaws have been detected in various exploit kits already.
All of these updates come in the wake of Adobe issuing an emergency Flash update to stop the software from spreading Bitcoin ransomware and other malware. Hackers and other Internet criminals have been making good use of various security vulnerabilities of the past few years, leading to Bitcoin ransomware attacks all over the world.
Computer security remains of the utmost importance to companies and individual users all over the world. Windows is the most commonly used operating system, and it is a lucrative target for hackers looking to exploit security flaws. Any vulnerability can make its way to exploit kits, which are made available on underground forums.
Have you installed the latest updates for your computer recently? Let us know in the comments below!
Source: Krebs On Security
Images courtesy of Shutterstock, Microsoft