Microsoft has released an emergency fix that will disable hackers from exploiting and infecting a victim's computer with malware. The security patch that fixes the critical remote code execution vulnerability is available for all devices supported by the Windows operating system.
The multinational company signifies the highest level of threat as a 'critical' vulnerability, which gives hackers the chance to take overall control of the affected device. The company warns users about the possible move that the hacker can do upon gaining complete control of the system.
"An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights," the company stated in post on their website.
The threat can be triggered by opening documents and sites on the web that make use of embedded OpenType fonts. The vulnerability has always been present in every edition of Windows which ranges from the old Vista version up to the latest preview copy of Windows 10. There are no reports recorded indicating a wild attack by Microsoft advises users to obtain the fix as a safety precaution.
Hackers can influence users to open crafted documents or visit untrusted sites that contains infectious contents without their knowledge. The update is designed to address such issues by fixing the handling of OpenType fonts done by the Windows Adobe Type Manager Library.
Majority of the 1.5 billion PCs around the globe which is supported by Windows are Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 and 8.1 and Windows RT. The mentioned operating systems are the ones vulnerable to the threats.
The move made by Microsoft is considered as a noble act since the company did not wait for the scheduled regular update for security every month. The last emergency patch issued was dated back in November 2014.
Microsoft is a just a week away from releasing its latest operating system Windows 10. The tech company has assured users that the new version more secured than the older ones. Windows 10 will be launched this coming July 29.
