The JPEG of Death
Computer hackers have taken some pornographic JPEGs and augmented them with an exploit that uses the JPEG vulnerability that Microsoft recently announced, as reported by Computerworld. The exploit isn’t a virus, but instead turns the compromised computer into a bulk-mail spam machine, proof once again that the hackers and the spammers have teamed up.
What’s really neat about this exploit is that many people had long expected that the JPEG decompress routines, because of their complexity, almost certainly had to have some kind of buffer overflow in them. But it took literally years for someone to find it…
I went to Windows Update yesterday with a Windows 98 machine — a machine that Microsoft officially doesn’t support anymore. Nevertheless, Microsoft was more than happy to download the JPEG fix to me. Clearly, they are taking this one very seriously.
Once again, this is proof that every Windows machine being used to browse the Internet shoud have automatic updates on by default.
Keep Reading
Most Popular

Anti-aging drugs are being tested as a way to treat covid
Drugs that rejuvenate our immune systems and make us biologically younger could help protect us from the disease’s worst effects.

A quick guide to the most important AI law you’ve never heard of
The European Union is planning new legislation aimed at curbing the worst harms associated with artificial intelligence.

It will soon be easy for self-driving cars to hide in plain sight. We shouldn’t let them.
If they ever hit our roads for real, other drivers need to know exactly what they are.

Crypto is weathering a bitter storm. Some still hold on for dear life.
When a cryptocurrency’s value is theoretical, what happens if people quit believing?
Stay connected

Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.