Microsoft Sneaks Out 'Critical' SP2 Fix

Microsoft released a "critical" fix on Thursday for a security issue left unresolved by the Windows XP Service Pack 2.

The configuration change closed a hole in the Windows firewall settings that could open up PCs to attack if the machines had been set to share files or a printer with the local network, said Gary Schare, director of product management for Windows.

"The changes we made in Service Pack 2 were better than before, but they could be narrowed even further," he said. "We told people (in September) that we would issue a software update and now we have."

The hole could allow anyone to access a PC that has its file sharing exceptions set up in the Windows XP SP2 firewall. The problem affects only those who use dialing software to connect to the Internet, Microsoft indicated in a Knowledge Base article on its Web site.