Security experts on December 28th warned about the emergence of an exploit for an unpatched vulnerability in the Windows operating system.
According to assessments, this vulnerability is quite serious, affecting the way Windows handles Windows Metafile (WMF) image files—an issue that Microsoft has patched three times in the past two years. The latest patch for this vulnerability is MS05-053, which was released in November 2005.
However, unlike previous vulnerabilities, this new one also affects two operating systems considered to be the safest currently, namely Windows XP SP2 and Windows Server 2003. While the old vulnerability was related to buffer overflow issues, the exact factors influencing the new vulnerability have yet to be determined.
Microsoft has stated that it will investigate the vulnerability and will soon provide specific guidance. Depending on the circumstances, Microsoft may issue an emergency patch or include the fix in its monthly upgrade schedule.