Apple Online Store“A 17-year-old bug in Windows will be patched by Microsoft in its latest security update,” BBC News reports. “The February update for Windows will close the loophole that involves the venerable DOS operating system.”

MacDailyNews Take: Venerable? Not in these parts.

The Beeb continues, “First appearing in Windows NT 3.1, the vulnerability has been carried over into almost every version of Windows that has appeared since. The monthly security update will also tackle a further 25 holes in Windows, five of which are rated as ‘critical.’”

“The ancient bug was discovered by Google security researcher Tavis Ormandy in January 2010 and involves a utility that allows newer versions of Windows to run programs that date from the DOS era,” The Beeb reports. “Mr Ormandy has found a way to exploit this utility in Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 and 2008 as well as Windows Vista and Windows 7.”

The Beeb reports, “The patch for this vulnerability will appear in the February security update. Five of the vulnerabilities being patched at the same time allow attackers to effectively hijack a Windows PC and run their own programs on it.”

Full article here.

MacDailyNews Take: Our headline says it all.

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