14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft's Windows operating system is again causing trouble for its customers after security company Symantec confirmed that a new malicious code targeting the Chinese version of Windows 2000 is available on the web. Moreover, it seems like the code is able to exploit a critical vulnerability, which was actually patched by the Redmond-based company last week. However, the non-Chinese versions of the operating system are also affected by the threat, although a successful attack wouldn't be able to cause as much damage as the Chinese exploit.
According to Techworld.com, the attacks over the other versions of Microsoft Windows simply close Windows Explorer, without doing too many damages. Though, launching the malicious code over a Chinese flavor of Windows 2000 would allow an attacker to execute additional code in order to take over the control of the computer or drop other files.
Even if the non-Chinese users may look secure in front of this threat, security company Symantec urges all the vulnerable Windows users to install the patches rolled out by Microsoft last week. This would be the easiest way to implement security measures since hackers may modify the malicious code in order to launch attacks over the non-Chinese systems, Symantec said according to Techworld.
"This exploit will not successfully allow for remote code execution against English systems [but it] can successfully trigger a crash on English versions of Microsoft Windows. Due to the availability of this public exploit for Chinese versions of Windows it is likely that attackers will modify this exploit to target English versions of the operating system," Symantec wrote in an advisory according to the same source mentioned above.
Just like any other software application, Microsoft's Windows has to be patched every once in a while to be sure you remain on the safe side, so in case you haven't already done it, just hit the Windows Update button.