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Fri, Nov 20, 2009 - 04:55 PM EST  —  AAPL: 199.92 (-0.59, -0.29%)  |  NASDAQ: 2146.04 (-10.78, -0.5%)

The Microsoft Tax: Windows 7 flaw allows attackers to remotely crash PCs; Macintosh unaffected
Thursday, November 12, 2009 - 09:15 AM EST

The New Mac mini "A security bug in Windows 7 and Windows 2008R2 makes it possible to lock up affected systems," John Leyden reports for The Register.

"The crash would happen without a Blue Screen of Death or other visible indication that anything was amiss," Leyden reports.

"Proof of concept code was posted by white hat security researcher Laurent Gaffié in a blog entry on Wednesday. 'Whatever your firewall is set to, you can get remotely smashed via IE or even via some broadcasting nbns tricks, [with] no user interaction,' Gaffié writes," Leyden reports.

Leyden reports, "While it might be used to knock over targeted systems, there's no evidence that the latest flaw lends itself to code injection, a far more serious type of problem."

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Nov 12, 09 - 09:19 am Comment from: NCIceman

Well....better than the usual "evil people can take over your computer through IE" warnings.....I guess...

Nov 12, 09 - 09:20 am Comment from: Lava_Head

Even more reason to get a Mac I made the switch a couple of years ago and have never looked back grin

Nov 12, 09 - 09:23 am Comment from: Judge Bork

From Google: Results 1 - 10 of about 1,020 from macdailynews.com for "Macintosh unaffected".

1,020!

Nov 12, 09 - 09:23 am Comment from: RocknRolla

Wow, classic Microsoft lol…MDN I watch the commercials every time your post them with an article. Why is it Windoze users attack me with insults while I am in public with my unibody Macbook Pro? I think it is their insecurity, or maybe they received a virus and were taking it out on me. XD

Nov 12, 09 - 09:32 am Comment from: Rob

Caution: Low flying chairs in Redmond today.

Nov 12, 09 - 09:45 am Comment from: HMCIV

Can they prove the Windows crashes aren't just coincidence?

Nov 12, 09 - 10:16 am Comment from: Ray

@HMCIV

You have a point. The crashes could be caused just because the computer is running an M$ OS and have absolutely nothing to do with the virus. With Windoze it is very hard to tell the difference.

just my $0.02

Nov 12, 09 - 10:21 am Comment from: RP3

My Mac crashes on its own anyway.... Grey screen of death shows up.

Nov 12, 09 - 10:32 am Comment from: Chair Dodger

@Rob:

Thanks for the 'heads up'.

Nov 12, 09 - 10:38 am Comment from: BluefinPro

@RP3... Must be cool to be unique!
Luckiest guy alive...

Nov 12, 09 - 10:46 am Comment from: EvangelizeWithRespect

@Chair Dodger

We'd better keep our heads down!

Nov 12, 09 - 11:10 am Comment from: G4Dualie

This is rich. This protocol, among others has been a thorn in Microsoft's side since 1985!!!

IBM's original NetBIOS API was developed using Sytek, Inc's proprietary networking protocols in 1983 and was further refined by IBM with enhanced, extended APIs in 1985. The enhanced protocol was called NetBEUI, on the drawing board, but its name never changed from NetBIOS and those who adopted the enhanced version continued to refer to the standard as NetBIOS.

In 1985, Microsoft also introduces its own "NetBIOS" implementation for its MS-NET and simply named it NetBEUI, literally naming its implementation after IBMs second version of the improved API, perhaps in a ploy to make everyone believe Microsoft's implementation was the same, if not superior.

This tactic has been used by Microsoft over and over from day one.

Where Microsoft has utterly failed its customers is, they are unable to dissect the proprietary protocols that provide the stability and security found in the original vendor's product. Instead Microsoft's engineers, without historical context of trial and error, implements their own version that lacks any thoughtful or timely preparation for future eventualities.

For all outward appearances Microsoft has been very successful in providing knock-offs that resembles the original but is flawed in its implementation.

Their NetBIOS implementation was a fail before it began, because it was a poor copy. They screwed up something as simple as a networking API protocol, so is it any wonder they have spent the last twenty-five years trying to implement the Mac OS?

By the time they figure it out, Apple will have changed the game once again.

Nov 12, 09 - 05:32 pm Comment from: Hm...

Now, be fair, G4Dualie. Windows 7 actually is better than Mac OS …
7. Mostly.

Nov 13, 09 - 03:36 am Comment from: derekcurrie

Windows 7 security flaw!
Whoa!
Never saw that coming!

NOT.

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