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Microsoft Warns of IP Connection Vulnerability By Kimberly Hill May 20, 2005 12:31PM Microsoft noted that there are no reports of exploits based on the flaw currently. Attackers looking to take advantage of the vulnerability would first need to know or guess the IP address and port information of the affected computer.   Related Topics hacker microsoft Latest News Endeavour Inspected for Damage Autism Risk for Kids of Older Mothers Go Online and You Can Save the Planet In Haiti, Relief Gaps Are Spreading U.S. To Form Climate-Change Agency Microsoft announced a security flaw on Thursday that could allow malicious hackers to reset the Internet connections of affected computers and networks. The vulnerability would allow denial-of-service attacks on affected systems, but would not allow programs to run or establish user rights, said the company. Only those systems running Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 are affected, said Microsoft in a security advisory. Those users that have installed Windows XP Service Pack 2 or Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 are not vulnerable to the flaw. Downplaying the Danger Microsoft also notes that there are no reports of exploits based on the flaw. Attackers looking to take advantage of the vulnerability would first need to know or guess the IP address and port information of the affected Internet connection. In addition, many applications that establish Internet connections on behalf of users are programmed to reset the connection automatically if it is lost. However, this is the type of language commonly employed by software makers when addressing security concerns, said Laura DiDio of Yankee Group. Many malicious hackers take such statements as challenges. "All they have to do is to visit any one of a number of Internet sites or talk to any one of a number of black-hat hackers to get instructions," she stressed. Credit for Improvement Microsoft deserves credit for improving its dealing with security issues, DiDio asserted. "They have gotten a handle on the problem to a degree, there have been improvements in the core code, and they are much more proactive and less defensive," she said. Much of this improvement has been of necessity, though, she added. "The attacks are getting more sophisticated and pernicious," DiDio explained. "In addition, more systems are connected, which means that you can circumvent the globe faster than you can say Magellan."   Tell Us What You Think Your Comment: Also Visit: iPad Info Center Billions of Bytes Mobile Device Now Apple Info Center TopTechWire.com Advertisement  Computing 1.   MS: Windows 7 Doesn't Hurt Battery 2.   Tips for More Windows 7 Productivity 3.   The Pros and Cons of Apple's iPad 4.   IBM Power7 Server Takes on Big Load 5.   China Cyberattacks: Pervasive Threat EPIC Objects To Google-NSA Ties Cyberattack meant to rattle Google? Average Rating: Symbian 3 Is Now Fully Open Source But mobile OS remains linked to Nokia. Average Rating: Google Attack Highlights Black Market Paying for bug info is hotly debated. Average Rating:

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Microsoft Says Battery Woes Not Caused By Windows 7 Battery problems on Windows 7 machines are not caused by the operating system. That's the position of Stephen Sinofsky, head of the Windows division, in a long posting on the Windows engineering blog.   IBM's New POWER7 Servers Save Energy with Big Loads IBM has unveiled high-capacity servers that are the first to be based on its new, multi-core POWER7 chip. It said the new line is designed "to manage the most demanding emerging applications."   'Dead Simple, Dirt Cheap' JooJoo Tablet Shipping Soon The JooJoo, a web-browsing tablet device that is the subject of a high-profile legal dispute, appears on track to reach buyers at the end of February, but the tablet scene has dramatically changed.

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To Love or Not To Love: Apple iPad Pros and Cons Now that the iPad has officially been announced, opinions are rolling in on this device that combines the features of an iPod, e-reader, and tablet PC. Will the iPad turn fewer heads than the iPhone?   Analysts See iPad Price Drop, with Some Cannibalization Just weeks before Apple officially rolls out the iPad, financial analysts are making pricing predictions. But could the analysis itself hinder the initial demand for the pricey tablet computer?   Bar Codes Go Mobile, Get Hip Again For decades, retailers have used patterns of black dots and lines to encode data onto products. Now, bar codes are gaining favor as an easy way for cell-phone users to view ads and other data instantly.

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