Microsoft issued a warning that a cyberattack more destructive than the WannaCry ransomware is possible. Along with the warning, the tech giant released a new set of security updates along with their usual Patch Tuesday releases.
Adrienne Hall, Microsoft's General Manager of the Cyber Defense Operations Center, cited in Microsoft's blog that there is an "elevated risk of cyberattacks" by government and other copycat organizations.
The post also mentioned that the company is releasing new updates and patches that are designed to provide further protection against ransomware similar to WannaCry. These updates are even available to unsupported Windows versions, such as Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP.
The updates are available in the Microsoft Download Center and the Update Catalog Page. There is also a guide for those who are using unsupported versions of Windows. Meanwhile, supported versions can have the updates automatically delivered through Windows Update.
The new security fixes are designed to address three different vulnerabilities that were not patched before. The three exploits are called ESTEEMAUDIT, ENGLISHMANDENTIST, and, EXPLODINGCAN.
Microsoft revealed before that these exploits only affect unsupported versions. However, a cybersecurity expert said that these vulnerabilities are still widespread and can cause serious damage to the system.
Sean Dillon, senior security analyst for cybersecurity firm RiskSense, said that although the new updates promise further system protection, businesses and organizations should consider this as a temporary solution. He advised that if they are still using unsupported versions, they should think of upgrading to supported ones.
He added that ransomeware is not the only cybersecurity threat present today. There are also sophisticated stealth malware, such as banking spyware, which can infiltrate the system through a breach into the internal network.
As Microsoft deploys the new security updates, there have been speculations that the company might have received some warnings or threats of a possible attack. However, a spokesperson of the company declined to make any comment.
