Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) Patches A Security Flaw On Windows Used By Russian Hackers

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is rolling out a security patch for its Windows operating system after it emerged that hackers might have been using a security flaw on the OS to hack into a number of companies. During an interview on Fox Business, iSight Partners, VP Patrick McBride, pointed out that hackers had been using the vulnerability since 2006 when Windows Vista was launched.

iSight reports that Hackers in Russia have been using the security vulnerability in the OS to attack companies in the energy and telecom sector as well as spying on NATO assets.

“We have been talking with Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) daily getting them details so that they can do their exploration. They actually acted very fast. They will be releasing a patch today with their normal  patch Tuesday activities, and that will come out later today as soon as they found IT they got right into it, “said Mr. McBride

McBride pointed out that hackers will at all times look for vulnerabilities in systems that are un-patched to exploit and carry out attacks. All indications already point to Russian actors who were using the flaw to target Western European entities with control servers in Russia.

The vulnerability according to the security expert allowed the hackers to gain access into Microsoft’s Office documents mostly PowerPoint. It is still unclear whether the hackers are backed by the Russian government as tension with the U.S continues to hit fever pitch. McBride also stated that the hackers used the vulnerability to attack Ukrainians entities during the standoff over Crimea.

“This particular exploit can attack any of the Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)’s Microsoft office documents but particularly what they have been using is PowerPoint. They send a phishing lure email out with a PowerPoint attachment, and as people run that PowerPoint attachment, that vulnerability allows an exploit to be loaded on to a system. Then they can take data out of that system,” said Mr. McBride.

Free Report: Warren Buffett and 12 Billionaires Are Crazy About These 7 Stocks

Let Warren Buffett, David Einhorn, George Soros, and David Tepper WORK FOR YOU. If you want to beat the low cost index funds by an average of 6 percentage points per year look no further than Warren Buffett’s stock picks. That’s the margin Buffett’s stock picks outperformed the market since 2008. In this free report, Insider Monkey’s market beating research team identified 7 stocks Warren Buffett and 12 other billionaires are crazy about. CLICK HERE NOW