No Fix for Critical Windows 98, Me Flaw

Iria · Jun 9, 2006, 09:43 PM

Source: BetaNews
__________
Microsoft has encountered a critical vulnerability in Windows 98, 98 SE and Windows Me that it simply cannot fix, the company acknowledged Friday. The flaw affects Windows Explorer and after investigating the issue, Microsoft said it would need to reengineer a significant amount of the operating system.

Announced as part of April's security bulletins, a remote execution vulnerability exists in Windows Explorer because of the way that it handles COM objects. A malicious Web site could force a connection to a remote file server, which in turn causes Explorer to fail and potentially execute arbitrary code.

BWX · Jun 9, 2006, 10:54 PM

Do people still use those OSes?

**temeteus82** · Jun 9, 2006, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BWX

Do people still use those OSes?

I know for sure one non-profit organization that uses Windows 98!

***craig5320*** · Jun 9, 2006, 11:20 PM

I believe there's still a few luddites out there yes

BWX · Jun 9, 2006, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by temeteus82

I know for sure one non-profit organization that uses Windows 98!

yeah I didn't think about that.. or schools, etc..

I think the richest human on the planet (ok maybe exaggerating) has enough to at least patch the problem. I guess it is not his priority... plenty of security holes in current and future OSes to fix!

niceguyrichy · Jun 9, 2006, 11:36 PM

I still have an old emachines running ME, only thing that kept me online last time I moved

The_Neon_Cowboy · Jun 9, 2006, 11:45 PM

wel duh I say. Non suported OS = No support = no fixes

studbagel9 · Jun 10, 2006, 01:32 AM

I was under the impression that Microsoft supported OS'es for 10 years Neon. This seems to be an issue of a flaw in the underlying code of the operating system, not a case of product support timelines running out.

SFOSOK · Jun 10, 2006, 03:11 AM

No offense.......who gives a ....? I really would like to know actually.

BWX · Jun 10, 2006, 03:15 AM

Probably anyone using one of those operating systems..

YAYitsAndrew · Jun 10, 2006, 06:31 AM

I know of a multi-million dollar financial firm still using windows 98. I wonder if they'll change their minds now?

Judas · Jun 10, 2006, 06:37 AM

imo... support for 9x period is long gone.... most of all hardware and software is no longer produced for or test on 9x at all... you phone up symantec asking for help with norton 2005 on 9x... they'll laugh and hang up....

violat3 · Jun 10, 2006, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BWX

Do people still use those OSes?

my mate ditched XP to go back to Windows 98se he absolutely hates XP

Judas · Jun 10, 2006, 08:45 PM

anyone i've talked to that hates xp.. says it's either A: the gui looks like a toon fest (which can be turned off and made to look like windows 95 if you really wanted... or full out 3.1 lol)

or

It had capability problems with there programs (which ironically is usually due to using 10 year old programs or playing achient games or your machine blows

)

or

It crashed alot (which usually means alot of things usually wrong in the setup of it or the hardware itself has problems that aren't apparent in the other oses... which should raise a bit of a concern as something like that should be looked into.. not just formated and 9x slapped on top cause "it seems more stable")

Zelig · Jun 10, 2006, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Judas

imo... support for 9x period is long gone.... most of all hardware and software is no longer produced for or test on 9x at all... you phone up symantec asking for help with norton 2005 on 9x... they'll laugh and hang up....

But if a company has a bunch of computers with Windows 98 that are used for word processing, that worked fine for 8 years, it's hard to tell them that their computers are suddenly no longer capable of being used for the same word processing.

Judas · Jun 10, 2006, 10:59 PM

i would agree..

but if they are also connected to the internet.. and setup to do so.... then it opens up a few other problem and capability issues that are oventually going to make browsing the net harder....

Jun 9, 2006, 09:43 PM	#1
Iria DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 7,275 Rep Power: 89	No Fix for Critical Windows 98, Me Flaw Source: BetaNews __________ Microsoft has encountered a critical vulnerability in Windows 98, 98 SE and Windows Me that it simply cannot fix, the company acknowledged Friday. The flaw affects Windows Explorer and after investigating the issue, Microsoft said it would need to reengineer a significant amount of the operating system. Announced as part of April's security bulletins, a remote execution vulnerability exists in Windows Explorer because of the way that it handles COM objects. A malicious Web site could force a connection to a remote file server, which in turn causes Explorer to fail and potentially execute arbitrary code.

Jun 9, 2006, 10:54 PM	#2
BWX unplugged Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: USNY Posts: 19,669 Rep Power: 110 System Specs	Do people still use those OSes? __________________

Jun 9, 2006, 11:20 PM	#4
*craig5320* HH Administrator Join Date: May 2002 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 8,572 Rep Power: 445 System Specs	I believe there's still a few luddites out there yes __________________ HardwareHeaven on Facebook

Jun 9, 2006, 11:45 PM	#7
The_Neon_Cowboy HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 16,009 Rep Power: 92 System Specs	wel duh I say. Non suported OS = No support = no fixes __________________

Jun 10, 2006, 01:32 AM	#8
studbagel9 Rolling the Hard Six Join Date: May 2003 Location: Lock Haven, PA Posts: 767 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	I was under the impression that Microsoft supported OS'es for 10 years Neon. This seems to be an issue of a flaw in the underlying code of the operating system, not a case of product support timelines running out. __________________

Jun 10, 2006, 03:11 AM	#9
SFOSOK 939 Goin Strong Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Ontario Posts: 7,033 Rep Power: 90 System Specs	No offense.......who gives a ....? I really would like to know actually. __________________ Warning - Explicit Content Preceeding METAL!!

Jun 10, 2006, 03:15 AM	#10
BWX unplugged Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: USNY Posts: 19,669 Rep Power: 110 System Specs	Probably anyone using one of those operating systems.. __________________

Jun 10, 2006, 06:31 AM	#11
YAYitsAndrew Anti-Piracy Poster Boy Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: NJ Posts: 2,605 Rep Power: 79 System Specs	I know of a multi-million dollar financial firm still using windows 98. I wonder if they'll change their minds now? __________________ "It is because the resistance to paying for copyrighted material, although often characterized as arising from a supposed technical burden or principled concern for the public interest, arises rather from exactly the same segment of the brain that is dominant in shoplifters." - Mark Helprin, Digital Barbarism In other words, it's never okay to steal even if you think you have a good reason! www.yayitsandrew.com