Aging Security Vulnerability Still Allows PC Takeover

Jackson writes "Adam Boileau, a security consultant based in New Zealand has released a tool that can unlock Windows computers in seconds without the need for a password. By connecting a Linux machine to a Firewire port on the target machine, the tool can then modify Windows' password protection code and render it ineffective. Boileau said he did not release the tool publicly in 2006 because 'Microsoft was a little cagey about exactly whether Firewire memory access was a real security issue or not and we didn't want to cause any real trouble'. But now that a couple of years have passed and the issue has not resolved, Boileau decided to release the tool on his website."

Re:The hard part is...

[TripMaster Monkey]

That sounds like a challenge...

Re:Breathtaking Arrogance or Stupidity?

[deblau]

You are either for false dichotomies or against them.

Which is it?

Re:The hard part is...

[clickclickdrone]

>have the time to jack into one of my boxes
You must have one sexy PC!

Hosted on his personal webpage...

[ProdigySim]

Not anymore! Microsoft probably submitted this article.

In related news...

[muffen]

... it turns out, his site is vulnerable to the slashdot effect :)

Re:The hard part is...

[bleh-of-the-huns]

My security system is even better... its a vicious dalmation that attacks anyone who comes into the house..

And while yes its a great security feature.. it gets annoying when he attacks the same neighbour over and over and over again.. who comes and goes in my house 2 or 3 times a week....

Re:Yes, yes, another anti-windows story

[Oktober Sunset]

maybe they aren't smart, maybe they are dumb, that means even a dumb ass can crack windows security.

Dalmatians 101

[Stanistani]

You can't really blame Pongo. Cruella keeps trying to make beautiful coats from those cute puppies.

*listens closely*

[Stanistani]

"So I tied an onion to my belt. Which was the style at the time. Now, to take the ferry cost a nickel, and in those days, nickels had pictures of bumblebees on 'em."

Re:*listens closely*

[glavenoid]

"Give me five bees for a quarter," you'd say. Now where was I? Oh yeah... the important thing was that I had an onion tied to my belt... which was the style at the time. You could not get any white onions, because of the war. The only thing you could get was those big yellow ones...

Re:Yes, yes, another anti-windows story

[sumdumass]

hey now. Not all of us need this crack to bypass windows security.

Re:Not on joe's computer.

[Anonymous Coward]

Please mod any "fixed it for you" messages down into oblivion.

It's annoying to me.

There. Fixed it for you.

Re:Yes, yes, another anti-windows story

[beav007]

Wait... Windows has security?