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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: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 17 2019, @02:33AM
Microsoft: Hey everyone, our current OS offerings are safe but there's a nasty XP bug going around.
Microsoft: We wouldn't normally do this but here's a patch for that old-ass OS we stopped supporting years ago.
Dog+world: Awesome, so I'm completely safe from the RDP thing now?
Microsoft: Yep, you're all set.
Dog+world: Great!
Microsoft: Well, you're safe from that threat.
Microsoft: I mean, you're using XP so you're still f*cked but at least it wont be because of RDP.
Dog+world: So you fixed a single vulnerability for my zombie OS that's riddled with gaping holes?
Microsoft: Correct, we got you covered, don't even trip dawg...
Microsoft: But if you want to be certain, you'll need to upgrade to Windows 10 (did we mention it's safe)?
Dog+world: Doh!
Windows 7 end-of-life is fast approaching and this feels like routine cattle herding. Expect a sloppy repeat of GWX soon...?