Latest Microsoft Vulnerability Opens Windows 2000 Service Packs To Attacks

It was a relatively quiet "patch Tuesday," the day Microsoft's patch and advisory releases for May are released. But it could mean some malware coming at Windows 2000 users along with administrative issues. One patch for thousands of users is never a snap.

The patch issued Tuesday is for a remote code vulnerability that takes advantage of the way Web View in Windows Explorer handles certain HTML characters. An attacker could take control of a computer if the user unknowingly previews a malicious file attachment. The patch is called MS05-24 and it gets update No. 894320.

Microsoft designates the remote code execution as "important" and suggests applying the patch update at the earliest opportunity. Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Packs 3 and 4 are the most exposed systems. Windows 98, including versions such as ME, are affected but relegated mostly to home use. Microsoft also issued security advisories about a default setting in Windows Media Player that could allow a user to open a Web page without permission.

Losing control of a computer is important, says Michael Cherry, lead analyst on Windows at analyst firm Directions On Microsoft, but the threat is mitigated because it's only on the Windows 2000 Service Packs. "But Windows 2000 customers must make a decision to work around the vulnerability, disabling Web View," he adds, "or install the MS05-24 patch as soon they can."