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Microsoft has issued a critical Windows update to older machines to prevent a vulnerability which could allow attacks to spread in a similar way to WannaCry.
The computing giant has taken the drastic and unusual step of providing a fix to systems it no longer supports, including Windows XP – its popular operating system released almost 18 years ago.
Microsoft says the vulnerability affects a part of the Remote Desktop Services feature on some previous versions of Windows, which could allow devastating malware attacks to pass from vulnerable computer to vulnerable computer, as WannaCry did.
WannaCry notably hit parts of the NHS in May 2017, disrupting 80 trusts across England alone because they were either infected by the ransomware or had turned off their devices or systems as a precaution.
[Update: The official Microsoft announcement should have been included in the story. Please be aware this warning applies only to older version of Windows; Windows 8 and 10 are not affected. (Hat tip to user "All Your Lawn Are Belong To Us") --martyb]
(Score: 2) by All Your Lawn Are Belong To Us on Thursday May 16 2019, @02:08PM (2 children)
Something the summary should have made note of. Microsoft's announcement [microsoft.com], while preening a little about how great they are, noted that Windows 8 and 10 are not affected. TFA said the same thing, and even though the summary and article focus are about how they released a patch for XP this should have been noted in the summary IMVHO.
This sig for rent.
(Score: 3, Informative) by martyb on Thursday May 16 2019, @03:12PM (1 child)
Thanks for the clarification! Story updated... please give the site a couple minutes for the change to work its way through the cache.
Wit is intellect, dancing.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @04:31PM
Muchos gracias! :)