A Windows 10 UWP application bug could steal your data without your knowledge

The security issues of Windows 10 seem to continue, with a bug apparently found in the Universal Windows Platform (UWP) application code that could allow hackers to access your hard drive and steal your data without your knowledge.

This bug, explained in detail by Sebastien Lachance, senior developer specializing in Windows applications, explains on his website that Microsoft boasts the virtues of UWP application security in Windows 10 (as opposed to conventional programs). and applications) because they run separately from the rest of the operating system.

While UWP applications need to run in "sandbox" mode, so that they do not have access to your files and folders, the broadFileSystemAccess API allows applications to have 39; access your hard drive and your files. In legitimate applications, this is necessary if you need to be able to open, edit, and save files to your PC (for example, with a Windows 10 image editing application).

When an application uses the API and uses this feature, a window is supposed to appear to alert users and ask them for their permission. However, the newly discovered bug means that it does not happen. Thus, users do not receive authorization and are not warned of access, and applications benefit from full access to the system by default.

As you can imagine, this is a serious security breach.

October 2018 Update to the rescue

The good news is that Microsoft has apparently solved this problem with the Windows 10 October 2018 update. If you have not already installed it, it's time to do it, especially if you use many Windows 10 UWP applications.

Our guide on downloading and installing the Windows 10 October 2018 update will guide you through the necessary steps.

While this patch is welcome, the existence of the bug is a blow to Microsoft's security claims regarding Windows 10 applications downloaded from the Windows Store.

While it's unclear whether malicious bug exploiters have been added to the store, Microsoft has already been criticized for its lax approach to monitoring the Windows Store, compared to Apple, Google, and their stores. of the respective applications.