Critical Windows Patch Fights Takeover Attacks
Three image-rendering flaws in the Windows operating system could put millions of Internet-connected users at risk of PC takeover attacks, Microsoft Corp. warned on Tuesday.
The flaws could be exploited via any software that displays images, including the widely used Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Word and Internet Explorer programs. The bugs are considered particularly dangerous because users could be at risk by merely browsing to a malicious rigged site with rigged image files, or by displaying images in the preview pane of an e-mail program.
Microsoft tagged the update as "critical," its highest severity, and urges Windows users to download and apply the patches immediately.
The flaws affect Windows 2000, Windows XP (including Service Pack 2) and Windows Server 2003.
