When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Updated: Flaw in Windows 7 RC and Vista allows remote reboot

Security experts warned Tuesday that a vulnerability in Microsoft's implementation of the SMB2 protocol can be exploited via the net to crash or reboot Windows Vista and Windows 7 systems.

An exploit written in Python is already available and being tested by security experts. Initial tests by heise security indicate the exploit enabled a remote reboot of a Vista system. However, in the test, the exploit had no apparent effect on a computer running Windows 7 RTM.

Microsoft has yet to acknowledge the issue and release an official update. The only current workaround is to close the SMB ports by un-ticking the boxes for file and printer access in the firewall settings.

Update: Microsoft has confirmed that Windows 7 RC is affected by the flaw but Windows 7 RTM is not.

Next Article

DSGi employees caught insulting customers on Facebook

Previous Article

Brad's PAX 2009

84 Comments

Load the comments and join the conversation!

Read the comments, ask the editors questions, show respect and join the conversation.

Click here