Microsoft has released a temporary fix for a flaw in its latest operating systems that allows untrusted users to bypass security measures preventing them from running unauthorized applications.
AppLocker allows administrators to restrict the applications that can be run on computers running Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008. But end users can easily override the restrictions by invoking a variety of automated script features, including macros in Microsoft Office. Programming flags such as SANDBOX_INERT and LOAD_IGNORE_CODE_AUTHZ_LEVEL could even allow malware stashed in temporary folders to be executed.
Microsoft on Wednesday published a hotfix to correct the flaw.
"This hotfix might receive additional testing," Microsoft's advisory stated. "Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix."
The advisory didn't say when that update would be released. ®
Broader topics
Narrower topics
- Authentication
- Azure
- Bing
- Black Hat
- BSoD
- Common Vulnerability Scoring System
- Cybercrime
- Cybersecurity
- Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
- Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act
- Data Breach
- Data Protection
- Data Theft
- DDoS
- Digital certificate
- Encryption
- Excel
- Exploit
- Firewall
- Hacker
- Hacking
- Identity Theft
- Infosec
- Internet Explorer
- Kenna Security
- Microsoft 365
- Microsoft Build
- Microsoft Edge
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Surface
- Microsoft Teams
- NCSC
- .NET
- Office 365
- Outlook
- Palo Alto Networks
- Password
- Patch Tuesday
- Phishing
- Pluton
- Ransomware
- REvil
- SharePoint
- Skype
- Spamming
- Spyware
- SQL Server
- Surveillance
- TLS
- Trojan
- Trusted Platform Module
- Visual Studio
- Visual Studio Code
- Vulnerability
- Wannacry
- Windows 10
- Windows 11
- Windows 7
- Windows 8
- Windows Server
- Windows Server 2003
- Windows Server 2008
- Windows Server 2012
- Windows Server 2013
- Windows Server 2016
- Windows XP
- Xbox
- Xbox 360
- Zero trust
