Windows NT4 servers open to hackers
Hundreds of thousands of websites which run on Windows NT4 are vulnerable to a critical flaw in a key Windows networking protocol, the network services firm Netcraft says.
The flaw, in the server message block (SMB) protocol, could allow a remote attacker to seize control of a vulnerable server. This protocol allows Windows computers to share files and printers on a network.
Microsoft issued an advisory for the flaw on February 8 but patches were issued only for recent versions of Windows - 2000 Service Pack 3 and Service Pack 4, XP Service Pack 1 and Service Pack 2, XP 64-Bit Edition Service Pack 1 (Itanium), XP 64-Bit Edition Version 2003 (Itanium), Server 2003 and Server 2003 for Itanium-based Systems.
Microsoft ended official support for Windows NT 4.0 on December 31 last year.
Security firm eEye Digital Security raised the issue on the BugTraq vulnerability mailing list by pointing out that Microsoft would not be releasing a public Windows NT 4.0 patch for this flaw as this version of Windows had reached its end of life.
