Microsoft has issued [techerati.com] 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.
Source: https://techerati.com/news-hub/microsoft-issues-urgent-windows-xp-patch-to-prevent-wannacry-style-attack/ [techerati.com]
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.