Be careful out there!

[entwisi]

Sorry all you Windows users, yet another gaping hole in your security

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4566504.stm

[grannyclaret]

thanks entwistle we have windows x.p.....will be on our guard now

[entwisi]

The problem is grannyC is that 95% of Windows users would not know what to do to fix this infection. what it basically is is you visit a webpage with an image on. That image is capable of installing spyware on your computer. This itself could do anything from key logging to starting a zombie email server which will send thousands of spam emails from your PC. All you did was view an image. To stop it you need to stop Windows picture and FAx viewer from opening .wmf files.

[grannyclaret]

i just went to the help and information page..and it blinded me with science....i will have to get my grandson to check it out... OH DEAR

[staggeringman]

granny keep off the porn sites!

[Neil]

Here is a temporary workaround from Microsoft until they manage to provide an update to fix the fault.

Microsoft has tested the following workaround. While this workaround will not correct the underlying vulnerability, it will help block known attack vectors. When a workaround reduces functionality, it is identified in the following section.

* Un-register the Windows Picture and Fax Viewer (Shimgvw.dll) on Windows XP Service Pack 1; Windows XP Service Pack 2; Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1

To un-register Shimgvw.dll, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Run, type "regsvr32 -u %windir%\system32\shimgvw.dll" (without the quotation marks), and then click OK.
2. A dialog box appears to confirm that the un-registration process has succeeded. Click OK to close the dialog box.

Impact of Workaround: The Windows Picture and Fax Viewer will no longer be started when users click on a link to an image type that is associated with the Windows Picture and Fax Viewer.

To undo this change, re-register Shimgvw.dll by following the above steps. Replace the text in Step 1 with "regsvr32 %windir%\system32\shimgvw.dll" (without the quotation marks).

[Sparkologist]

Originally Posted by staggeringman

granny keep off the porn sites!

You should remember to swallow some of your own medicine, Staggers'.
Wasn't that how your last hard drive expired?

[SPUGGIE J]

Shut the problem out and the quicker I find tim to rack stack and backup all my files I can stick my Linux SW on.

[grannyclaret]

Originally Posted by staggeringman

granny keep off the porn sites!

oh you sussed me out.....

[entwisi]

To be honest Neil I have yet to know of anywhere that needs the Windows Image and Fax viewer. It would be safer to leave it disabled permanently. Likewise if I was a Windows user I woudl assign .vbs files to Notepad as this is the major method that virus writers use. If you do as I say then any virus's written in VBS script rather than running and causing untold damage would just open up in Notepad with no damage done.

[Neil]

Windows Image and Fax viewer is needed to view thumbnails in windows explorer. A nice to have if like me you have shedloads of pictures on you PC and want to zoom throught them. You can install 3rd party addons that do the same I am sure but I prefer using the built in software if it does what I need. I find the less you add to windows the less it stuffs up

[entwisi]

This case being the exception?

Still I'm glad I don't bother

[Margaret Pilkington]

According to The Mail today it will be somehere around next Tuesday before they have formulated a security patch to sort out the situation.....til the next time eh.

so for all of us out here who are running the Windows programs, it is hold your breath time.

[Neil]

I think this is the security patch for this here

[harwood red]

my computer automatically updated with that 2 days ago, hope it sorts any probs out...until the next time!!!