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New Windows 7 hack purports to be "unfixable"


A hack that's "unfixable" is a pretty bold claim, but that's just what researchers Vipin Kumar and Nitin Kumar have announced at the now-happening Hack in the Box security conference, and they seem ready to back it up. Apparently, they've devised a means to gain control of a Windows 7 computer during the boot up process though the use of a tiny 3KB program dubbed VBootkit 2.0 (a follow-up to a similar Vista hack), which loads itself into the system memory and bypasses the hard drive altogether, making it extremely difficult to detect. Once loaded, an ill-intentioned individual could potentially change passwords, access protected files, or do just about anything else and then leave without a trace. The one fairly big drawback to the hack, however, and upside for most users, is that it can't be performed remotely, so it'll likely only be a significant concern for businesses or other folks using computers in public places -- unless, of course, Microsoft finds a way to fix the "unfixable."

[Via Electronista]