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The security bug relates to Windows Explorer and could let an intruder commandeer a vulnerable PC, Microsoft warned in April. The software maker has made fixes available for Windows Server 2003, Windows XP and Windows 2000, but it has found that eliminating the vulnerability in Windows 98 and ME is "not feasible," it said.
"To do so would require re-engineering a significant amount of a critical core component of the operating system," Microsoft said in a Thursday update to its MS06-015 security bulletin. "After such a re-engineering effort, there would be no assurance that applications designed to run on these platforms would continue to operate."
Instead, Microsoft recommends that people who still use the older operating systems protect their PCs by using a network firewall that filters traffic on TCP Port 139. "Such a firewall will block attacks attempting to exploit this vulnerability from outside of the firewall," it said.
The software maker even had trouble with its fix for Windows XP. It had to revise the update and release it a second time because the patch caused problems for people who used Hewlett-Packard Share-to-Web software or older Nvidia graphics drivers.
Microsoft is phasing out support for the older operating systems. Windows 98 was released in June 1998, Second Edition followed a year later, and Millennium Edition came out in 2000. Microsoft has been providing fixes for only "critical" flaws the past couple of years and is ending support altogether next month, after its planned July 11 patch release. Windows XP with Service Pack 1 reaches its end of support on Oct. 10, 2006.
Not providing fixes leaves users vulnerable, but software can't be supported forever, said Michael Sutton, a director at security intelligence company iDefense, a part of VeriSign. "At some point, any vendor has to make a business decision to cease product support, and these products are now 7 to 8 years old," he said.
The older Windows versions have never been secure, said Russ Cooper, a senior scientist at Cybertrust, a security vendor in Herndon, Va. "The lack of a 'critical' patch does not weaken these OSes. Instead, it should merely put an end to their perception that they were secure before this fault came to light," he said.
And as far as blocking traffic on port 139 goes, it is a network port that has been abused in the past for attacks, said Don Leatham, director of solutions and strategy at PatchLink. "Most organizations will already have port 139 blocked," he said. "Although it is good that Microsoft is reiterating this, I don't see it being a huge impact."
The best way to secure PCs that run older versions of Windows is upgrading the operating system, Microsoft suggested.
"With the upcoming end (of) support for these products, we strongly recommend that those of you who are still running these older versions of Windows upgrade to a newer, more secure version, such as Windows XP SP2, as soon as possible," Christopher Budd, a staffer in Microsoft's' security response center, wrote on the team's blog.
See more CNET content tagged:
re-engineering, fix, Microsoft Windows 98, patch, software company
If you are on the Internet with Win9x, with or without a firewall, you deserve what you get.
There has to be a limit to support. You can't expect support for a product (any product) for ever. And eight years, five versions and a complete change in the scenery sounds to me like a darn good reason to say enough.
There has to be a limit to support. You can't expect support for a product (any product) for ever. And eight years, five versions and a complete change in the scenery sounds to me like a darn good reason to say enough.
Microsoft does not like people who does not want to upgrade.
Microsoft does not like people who does not want to upgrade.
do, and businesses) in the Las Vegas area still use Celeron
computers with either 64 or 128 MB of RAM, and either Windows
98, 98 SE, ME or 2000.
Yes, I see XP, on my PCs at home, and in places like my bank,
but the pizza company ( http://lasvegas.citysearch.com/profile/
35789320/?brand=smx_restaurant-nc ) I work for uses
Windows 98 SE on two computers and Windows 95 something
on a laptop for payroll. My mom still uses Windows 95 on a
Tandy 2500 somehow for her business computer. Even the
library's in the Las Vegas area has Windows 2000 PCs for
everything.
So, why not make a patch? With good programming, that lame-o
excuse M$ gave doesn't apply.
http://www.network54.com/Forum/7505/
Programmer #A-5 of www.totallyparanoia.com
No company however rich will not fix because it is waste of their resources.
Companies are willing to loose the good will instead of supporting older versions.
do, and businesses) in the Las Vegas area still use Celeron
computers with either 64 or 128 MB of RAM, and either Windows
98, 98 SE, ME or 2000.
Yes, I see XP, on my PCs at home, and in places like my bank,
but the pizza company ( http://lasvegas.citysearch.com/profile/
35789320/?brand=smx_restaurant-nc ) I work for uses
Windows 98 SE on two computers and Windows 95 something
on a laptop for payroll. My mom still uses Windows 95 on a
Tandy 2500 somehow for her business computer. Even the
library's in the Las Vegas area has Windows 2000 PCs for
everything.
So, why not make a patch? With good programming, that lame-o
excuse M$ gave doesn't apply.
http://www.network54.com/Forum/7505/
Programmer #A-5 of www.totallyparanoia.com
No company however rich will not fix because it is waste of their resources.
Companies are willing to loose the good will instead of supporting older versions.
kudos to MS for doing what they have for so long.
Most roofing shingles have at least a 15 year warranty.
Most decent flooring (laminate, engineered) has at least a 5 year warranty.
Craftsman hand tools (ratchets, wrenches, screwdrivers, etc) have a lifetime warranty. Your lifetime, not the tool's lifetime.
Nah, MS isn't doing anything THAT particularly wonderful, especially considering how much money they made off of Win9x (and how large the installed base was and still is).
Adtran offers support on their WAN gear for as long as you own it (and can keep lightning from frying it). Free, I might add.
Most roofing shingles have at least a 15 year warranty.
Most decent flooring (laminate, engineered) has at least a 5 year warranty.
Nah, MS isn't doing anything THAT particuliarly wonderful, especially considering how much money they made off of Win9x (and how large the installed base was and still is).
discovered defects. The automotive industry calls
them "recalls". Most OS companies put out patches
for new security problems. The last OpenVMS patch
wasn't that far back, Sun has Recomended_X kits
where X is for Solaris 8 and earlier.... If your
kid chokes on a 3 year old toy or your 8 year old
TV catches fire due to a defect you can bet the
manufacturer will recall it before the lawsuits
hit.
However when Microsoft announced it was ending support for the OSes it did so saying it would continue to patch "critical" level threats. The first such threat I saw was coded differently for the other OSes and that was their excuse for not offering the update. This time it is "it would be too much work to fix" type of excuse. Next time it will be "We are no longer patching that OS" and the end of the debate.
Microsoft is slowly shifting away from a stance they took to keep their products secure from serious threats. When they made the promise they had an image to keep, and right now that image has improve enough they can relax from it some. This has nothing to do with fixing problems and everything to do with marketing.
kudos to MS for doing what they have for so long.
Most roofing shingles have at least a 15 year warranty.
Most decent flooring (laminate, engineered) has at least a 5 year warranty.
Craftsman hand tools (ratchets, wrenches, screwdrivers, etc) have a lifetime warranty. Your lifetime, not the tool's lifetime.
Nah, MS isn't doing anything THAT particularly wonderful, especially considering how much money they made off of Win9x (and how large the installed base was and still is).
Adtran offers support on their WAN gear for as long as you own it (and can keep lightning from frying it). Free, I might add.
Most roofing shingles have at least a 15 year warranty.
Most decent flooring (laminate, engineered) has at least a 5 year warranty.
Nah, MS isn't doing anything THAT particuliarly wonderful, especially considering how much money they made off of Win9x (and how large the installed base was and still is).
However when Microsoft announced it was ending support for the OSes it did so saying it would continue to patch "critical" level threats. The first such threat I saw was coded differently for the other OSes and that was their excuse for not offering the update. This time it is "it would be too much work to fix" type of excuse. Next time it will be "We are no longer patching that OS" and the end of the debate.
Microsoft is slowly shifting away from a stance they took to keep their products secure from serious threats. When they made the promise they had an image to keep, and right now that image has improve enough they can relax from it some. This has nothing to do with fixing problems and everything to do with marketing.
discovered defects. The automotive industry calls
them "recalls". Most OS companies put out patches
for new security problems. The last OpenVMS patch
wasn't that far back, Sun has Recomended_X kits
where X is for Solaris 8 and earlier.... If your
kid chokes on a 3 year old toy or your 8 year old
TV catches fire due to a defect you can bet the
manufacturer will recall it before the lawsuits
hit.
I don't really blame them.
I don't really blame them.
It's time. Change your OS or apply the *very* easy fix. Most people can spend $40 on a router or get a free firewall software to block this vector. If you aren't willing to take it into your own hands to prevent this issue, you get what you deserve and get off the Internet.
It's time. Change your OS or apply the *very* easy fix. Most people can spend $40 on a router or get a free firewall software to block this vector. If you aren't willing to take it into your own hands to prevent this issue, you get what you deserve and get off the Internet.
Personally, in regards to Win98, I had fun with it until a couple of years ago but after converting over to Win 2K who needs it? Win98 crashes way too often. BSOD anyone? XP (with SP2) and 2000 are much more stable.
Dave
There have been more than 40 critical updates since SP2, so I would say it's time.
Personally, in regards to Win98, I had fun with it until a couple of years ago but after converting over to Win 2K who needs it? Win98 crashes way too often. BSOD anyone? XP (with SP2) and 2000 are much more stable.
Dave
There have been more than 40 critical updates since SP2, so I would say it's time.
- No one has a legitimate win 98 disk
- by baswwe June 12, 2006 1:14 PM PDT
- comeon thats the more pirated system around
- Like this Reply to this comment
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- HA! I've got 2.
- by normdaley July 11, 2006 10:39 AM PDT
- Maybe I'll use them as coasters along with the AOL CDs that used to come in the mail.
- Like this
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Showing 1 of 2 pages (88 Comments)can you do that with xp?
I would love to upgrade, but I don't think my hardware meets the specs for XP. This poor little thing started out with Win 3.1 and has been upgraded to Win95 then Win98. I get a headache just thinking about how many junk OS files must be on that thing.
The optimist inside of me hopes MS will offer a deal to upgrade to XP from Win98. The realist in me just laughs.