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Latest Windows vulnerabilities provide a reminder to users

Editor's note: Since this article was posted, Microsoft has announced the early availability of a Windows patch. For more information, click here.

1:58 p.m., Jan. 5, 2006--As reported at several technology news web sites, on Jan. 10, Microsoft plans to release a patch to repair a vulnerability in all current versions of the Windows operating system. This problem is caused by the way Windows currently handles WMF (Windows Meta File) images.

According to one report, by Jan. 3, about 7 percent of Windows computers have been victimized by hackers taking advantage of this exploit. Microsoft reports that updating your computer’s anti-virus software will usually protect your computer from the WMF vulnerability.

In addition, several news sources report that new worm attacks are expected to be released on the Internet today, tomorrow and over the next week in attacks timed to coincide with anniversaries of events that led to the rise of the Nazi Party.

All University of Delaware computer users are reminded to take precautions against these and all other potential vulnerabilities:

• Beware of an e-mail attachment named happynewyear.jpg: It’s really a WMF file that will exploit the flaw.

• Limit your web browsing to web sites you have found you can trust. Until the WMF vulnerability is patched, do not use a Windows computer to visit web sites with which you are unfamiliar.

• Do not open or accept WMF attachments to e-mail messages.

• Do not open attachments to e-mail messages unless you are positive that they have been sent to you by a trusted correspondent.

• Do not click links in e-mail or instant messages from unknown sources.

• Keep your computer’s operating system up to date.

• Keep your computer’s anti-spyware software up to date.

• Keep your computer’s anti-virus software up to date.

• On Jan. 10, download the patch from Microsoft.

For more information, visit

Computer Security at the University of Delaware
[www.udel.edu/security/]

UD Safe Computing Practices
[www.udel.edu/security/safeprac.html].

Microsoft Technet article on the current WMF exploit:
[www.microsoft.com/technet/security/advisory/912840.mspx]

Computer World Article on the current WMF exploit:
[www.computerworld.com/securitytopics/security/holes/story/0,10801,107426,00.html]

ZDNet article on the current WMF exploit:
[http://blogs.zdnet.com/Ou/?p=144]

AP News article on current WMF exploit:
[http://apnews1.iwon.com/article/20060103/D8ETEBI80.html]

PC World article on the expected release of a new Sober Worm the evening of Jan. 5, 2006:
[www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,124185,00.asp]

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