Microsoft Distributing Patch for New Hack Threat

SAN ANTONIO – It seems like just yesterday Microsoft was warning everyone it could to download a patch that would prevent the Blaster worm from invading their systems. That's because it was pretty much just yesterday, or at least in the past week or two. But now Microsoft is warning of another critical vulnerability and subsequent patch. Adding to the confusion is the fact that this patch protects three new vulnerabilities that reside in the same part of the same service that Blaster attacked, warns Digital Defense, a well-known IT security provider to credit unions. "One of our concerns is that clients with newly patched systems might confuse these two issues and assume that if they installed the patch released before Blaster, they would be safe from these new vulnerabilities," said Rick Fleming, vice president of strategic technology for Digital Defense. "We have alerted all our clients to the new vulnerabilities, and have explained that the previous patch does not address them," Fleming said. The new patch is available at www.microsoft.com/security/security_bulletins/ms03-039.asp and will address both the Blaster problem and the broader set of vulnerabilities that have since been discovered. -pgentile@cutimes.com