Microsoft fixes critical flaw

Software giant Microsoft has released an emergency patch for what it calls a “critical” vulnerability in the Windows operating system that could allow hackers to take control of a computer.

“The vulnerability could allow remote code execution if the icon of a specially crafted shortcut is displayed,” the company said in a security bulletin. “An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could gain the same user rights as the local user.”

The flaw allows hackers to place malicious software inside normal-looking icons, which then allows them to remotely control the computer in question.

“Several families of malware have been attempting to attack this vulnerability,” Microsoft response manager Christopher Budd wrote in a blog post. “We firmly believe that releasing the update is the best thing to do to help protect our customers.”