Last month, a Google engineer disclosed a security flaw in Windows XP’S Help and Support Center software that can potentially enables attackers to download malicious software and effectively take over a computer, searching it for sensitive information, turning it into a spam zombie, or simply have it continually pull down more malware from the Internet. The bug was disclosed to the public on June 10, and Microsoft says at first the only incidents involving the bug were apparently innocuous probes by security researchers. However, beginning June 15 the “first real public exploit emerged,” and now Microsoft says over 10,000 WIndows XP systems have been subjected to the attack.
Microsoft’s next software update for WIndows XP is scheduled for July 13. In the meantime, the company is urging Windows XP users to protect their PCs. One workaround is to disable the HCP protocol, although this will break any hcp:// links users might rely on to get to specific resources in the Help and Support Center.
Windows Server 2003 also ships with the Help Center software but is apparently immune to the attack.
Google engineer Tavis Ormandy revealed the problem to Microsoft back on June 5; however, five days later he took information about the bug public, apparently dissatisfied with Microsoft’s response to the problem.
Microsoft says systems in Russia, Portugal, the United States, Germany, and Brazil have been the largest targets of this particular exploit, so far.
Mozilla is giving Firefox’s Smart Window two new tricks. If you haven’t tried it yet, Smart Window is an optional AI mode in Firefox with a built-in chat that helps you get things done while you browse. With this update, it can fill out online forms using details from your tabs and keep an eye on websites for you.
Tired of typing the same details into every form?
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.