Proof-of-concept RDP vulnerability code discovered. Patch Windows now

SophosLabs has seen proof-of-concept code on Chinese websites which tries to exploit the recently announced Microsoft RDP vulnerability, causing computers to crash.

The critical vulnerability exists in Windows, and could be exploited to spread a worm automatically between vulnerable computers.

The advice from Microsoft and Sophos is to patch your copies of Windows as soon as possible, and Microsoft warned earlier this week that it expected malicious hackers to exploit the flaw within 30 days.

Well, that’s already happening. The code we’ve seen – in the form of Python scripts – attempts to exploit the MS12-020 RDP vulnerability and causes Windows computers to blue screen. It wouldn’t be a surprise if whoever is writing this code to further develop the attacks to produce a fast-spreading internet worm.

As a result, Windows users should consider themselves on high alert and harden their defences. Microsoft has discussed the…

Read more in my article on the Naked Security website.

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Graham Cluley is a veteran of the cybersecurity industry, having worked for a number of security companies since the early 1990s when he wrote the first ever version of Dr Solomon's Anti-Virus Toolkit for Windows. Now an independent analyst, he regularly makes media appearances and is an international public speaker on the topic of cybersecurity, hackers, and online privacy. Follow him on Twitter, Mastodon, Bluesky, or drop him an email.

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