13 April Microsoft issued a patch for several vulnerabilities in its Windows operating systems.

This patch remedies in total 14 different problems of various severity. Microsoft’s severity rating is Critical (highest rating).

Microsoft has made a patch for these vulnerabilities available from Microsofts Security Bulletin MS04-011. The patch is also available from Windows’ automatic updating system.

The following systems are vulnerable:

• Microsoft Windows NT 4
• Microsoft Windows 2000
• Microsoft Windows XP
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003
• Microsoft Netmeeting

After only a short time frame exploit code that targets one of these vulnerabilities was made available on the Internet.
It may be assumed that malicious software that targets this vulnerability may be created and released upon the Internet community. Such software may target computers directly without any interference with the user(s) of the computer - similar to e.g. the Blaster worm.
Microsoft has published additional information regarding this - for details follow this link.

Norman advices all users to download the patch as soon as possible, to be protected from potential exploits.

Per Olav Førland