- "Computer security experts... said computer systems
that control critically important power or water utilities were vulnerable."
-
- NEW YORK -- Microsoft caused panic last night with a
sudden admission that "critical" flaws in its operating system
would allow hackers to break into personal computers across the world.
-
- The company warned that all current versions of its Windows
operating system were at risk.
-
- Computer security experts reacted with anger to the announcement
from executives at the world's biggest software company, saying they had
alerted them months ago. They said computer systems that control critically
important power or water utilities were vulnerable.
-
- Windows is the most popular software in the world, with
Microsoft so dominant it has faced repeated allegations that it runs a
monopoly.
-
- A Microsoft security bulletin warned that Windows NT,
Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 were exposed to the defect,
which seems to allow rogue programmers to break into almost any computer.
-
- Microsoft gave the flaw its highest severity rating of
"critical".
-
- Marc Maiffret, of eEye Digital Security, the firm that
discovered the error, said: "We contacted Microsoft about these vulnerabilities
200 days ago, which is insane. Even the most secure Windows networks are
vulnerable."
-
- Microsoft encouraged customers to download a security
measure that could protect their computers, using www.microsoft.com/security.
-
- Stephen Toulouse, a security executive, said the flaw
was "an extremely deep and pervasive technology in Windows" and
urged people to apply the safety patch.
-
- Mr Maiffret said: "This is one of the most serious
Microsoft vulnerabilities ever released. It will let you get into internet
servers, internal networks, pretty much any system."
-
- © Copyright of Telegraph Group Limited 2004.
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