Windows XP gets a rare update to fix a "Wormable" bug

Windows XP stopped receiving the help of its manufacturer about five years ago. Since then, Microsoft has rarely provided a fix for this single-decision operating system. Things have changed this week, however, as the Windows manufacturer has released a patch for a critical remote code execution vulnerability in Remote Desktop Services (formerly Terminal Services). The company recommends Windows XP users to download and install this hotfix to avoid getting infected with a harmful security breach.

Microsoft conceals all the details of the problem to prevent hackers from exploiting it, but that will not save you long. According to the company, this is a situation similar to that of WannaCry, in which the malware has spread across the world, affecting both individuals and businesses.

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A flaw affects Windows XP, Windows 2003, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008

"Any future malware that exploits this vulnerability could spread from a vulnerable computer to a vulnerable computer in the same way as the WannaCry malware that spreads around the world in 2017," said Simon Pope, Director of Incident Response. Microsoft Security Response Center.

"It is very likely that malicious actors will write an exploit for this vulnerability and incorporate it into their malware."

This security issue is for Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 2003, and Windows Server 2008. Windows 2003 and Windows XP are not supported, which means that users will need to manually download and install the update (KB4500705).

For Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2008, updates will be installed automatically if you have enabled automatic updates. Downloads are available here for manual installation.

The pope said that Windows 8 and Windows 10 are do not affected by this security breach and added that "it is no coincidence that later versions of Windows are not affected."

"Microsoft is investing heavily in enhancing the security of its products, often through major architectural improvements that it's not possible to transfer to earlier versions of Windows."

Windows XP, released in 2001, still shares 3.57% of the market, accounting for millions of devices. Installing this hotfix is ​​especially important for businesses, as many businesses, hospitals, and departments still run Windows XP on at least some of their machines, as was the case with the 2017 WannaCry plague.

It is unlikely that anyone using Windows XP on older machines will be upgrading to Windows 10, but downloading these patches should be a priority if you do not want to get stuck in a situation similar to WannaCry. It would be safer to abandon Windows XP, because from that point on, the security issues associated with XP will outweigh the utility of an older and already reliable operating system.