Critical Windows patch may wreak PC havoc

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Critical Windows patch may wreak PC havoc

By Joris Evers, CNET News.com

Published on ZDNet News: October 14, 2005, 6:36 PM P

 

A Microsoft patch meant to fix critical security flaws in Windows

2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 is causing trouble for some

users, the company said Friday.

 

The patch was released Tuesday to fix four Windows flaws, including

one that experts predict will be exploited by a worm in the coming

days. The flaw, tagged " critical " by Microsoft, lies in a Windows

component for transaction processing called the Microsoft Distributed

Transaction Coordinator, or MSDTC.

 

Installing the patch can cause serious problems, Microsoft said in an

advisory posted to its Web site Friday. The patch could lock users out

of their PC, prevent the Windows Firewall from starting, block certain

applications from running or installing, and empty the network

connections folder, among other things, the software maker said.

 

The trouble appears to occur only when default permission settings on

a Windows directory have been changed, according to Microsoft. The

software maker has received " limited reports " of problems from

customers but is still investigating the issue, a representative said.

 

Even if users experience PC trouble after installing the patch, they

will still be protected against any attack exploiting the Windows

flaw, a Microsoft representative said. The patch was delivered with

Microsoft security bulletin MS05-051.

 

To resolve any problems caused by the MS05-051 patch, users should

restore the default permissions for the Windows folder and the COM+

catalog. A guide is available on the Microsoft Web site, and steps

start with changing the permissions on the " registration " folder in

the Windows directory.