Windows 7 still at risk from Explorer flaw: report

Windows 7 can still be infected through a security flaw that has existed in the past four versions of Microsoft's operating system.

Windows 7, the much-awaited replacement for Microsoft's ill-fated Vista operating system, still includes a legacy flaw that can put users at risk, says a security specialist.

Mikko Hypponen, research boss for computer security experts F-Secure says that an exploit from earlier Windows versions still exists in the release candidate for the next-generation Microsoft OS.

Hypponen wrote in his blog that the flaw, which existed in Windows NT, 2000, XP and Vista, allowed cyberbrooks to exploit a Windows Explorer issue to hide viruses and executable files from users.

The 'Hide extensions for known file types' feature, which could be used to disguise malware nasties, still exists in the new OS.

"Virus writers used this "feature" to make people mistake executables for stuff such as document files," he wrote.

"The trick was to rename VIRUS.EXE to VIRUS.TXT.EXE or VIRUS.JPG.EXE, and Windows would hide the .EXE part of the filename.

Source:nzherald.co.nz