Lack of working exploit does not mean Windows 98 is safe
I want to try to clarify a point. I’ve spent a couple days trying to get current exploits to work on a Windows 98 SE virtual machine. Not to prove that Windows 98 is safe, but to determine if current exploits affect Windows 98. Yesterday evening there were apocalyptic headlines saying that virus threatens every windows os shipped since 1990 which is overhyped. The current vulnerability exists in every windows operating system shipped since 1990. The current exploit for that vulnerability doesn’t seem to work on Windows 98 (you have to go a long ways to find a configuration that the current exploit works with… I haven’t yet.) This does not mean that Windows 98 is invulnerable. It simply means that this specific attack does not easily work. Tomorrow may be different, now that the problem is known, it may be just a matter of time before someone determines WHY windows 98 is not as affected and “correct” the problem.
I hope I haven’t implied that lack of market share (3% or so of my Windows using visitors, use Win 98) will keep Windows 98 users from harm. There are some fundamental architectural differences between 98 and XP, XP does have a bigger userbase, but Windows 98 could be trivial to exploit if someone was interested. The fact is, it’s a question mark.
So, at this point Windows 98 users don’t have to bail out in droves instantly with no hope for protection. But the upgrade path should be planned, whether it’s a move to Windows XP, a planned move to Vista, or an upgrade to a Linux OS, or Mac. Be preparing your exit plans.
Popularity: 1% [?]
Related Posts - Epson Perfection 1650 scanner and Windows XP Limited User account "We tried scanning and all that happened was the lamp moved back and forth.... Nothing else happened." That was the description I had and the request to see why the scanner was broken. It hadn't been long since the Epson scanner had been hooked up to a new XP Pro......
- Windows XP on Qemu roundup So here's the sumup of my (now working and with plenty of free space) Windows XP install within QEMU. Well, for starters the XP disc I had was an upgrade disc and as I noted before it did not like the media I provided as proof of upgradability. So, I......
- Making sense of the different versions of Vista Microsoft Vista is now out, the next version of Windows, successor to XP. While Windows XP will continue to receive updates into 2014 there are many that might be eager to upgrade and move to the latest greatest. (Note to those: Service Pack one may be en route THIS calendar......
Related Websites - 0 Current Delinquencies Late Curves Yesterday I published a new installment of the Prosper Late Curves. Several readers have asked if I could pull the data for one slice or another. While it would be possible to pull any advanced search slice out of the Prosper performance page, it is rather time consuming to pull the......
- Money Saving Tips when Planning for a Move The following is a post from staff writer Crystal at Budgeting in the Fun Stuff, where she writes about finding the balance between paying your bills, saving for your future, and budgeting in the fun stuff along the way. In honor of Daniel’s big move last week, I have been......
- How To Get The Most Out Of The Amazon Associate Program Creating a reliable income as part of the Amazon Associate Program is all about knowing which niche is best and the best way to approach it. After your strong foundation has been set up, all you'll have left to do is take care of the fundamentals of bringing in a......
Similar Posts
- WMF exploit and Windows 98
- WMF exploit virus detection revisited
- Windows 98 and the WMF exploit
- Version 2 of the WMF exploit vs Windows 98 SE
- Windows 98 WMF patch