Microsoft Corp issued a rare emergency patch yesterday to fix a critical bug in its Windows operating system that could be exploited by online criminals to take over individual and corporate computers.
It was the first time since April last year that the global software giant has issued a patch outside its schedule of monthly updates.
Microsoft typically issues fixes for security holes on the second Tuesday of every month. The company released this fix in a so-called out-of-band bulletin yesterday “in the best interest of customers,” Christopher Budd, head of security response communications, said in a statement.
“When Microsoft does something out of band, people should download the fix as soon as possible,” Jon Oltsik, an analyst with Enterprise Strategy Group, said in an interview from Milford, Massachusetts. “It doesn’t take long between the time Microsoft announces something like this and massive exploits.”
Microsoft said the critical flaw affected computers running Windows XP, Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003, with less danger posed to computers running Windows Vista and Server 2008.
“If successfully exploited, an attacker could then install programs or view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights,” a Microsoft bulletin said.
Customers in Taiwan can download the software at www.microsoft.com/taiwan/technet/security/bulletin/ms08-041.mspx.
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