Google security expert reveals vulnerability in Windows

Google security expert Tavis Ormandy has posted an exploit online that is making Microsoft less than happy. He has discovered a security vulnerability in all windows version that will allow a hacker to obtain administrative privileges. Rather than reporting the vulnerability to Microsoft, he posted details to the Full Disclosure security mailing list in mid-May and has now published an exploit to the same mailing list.

Ormandy is well known in the security world. He has discovered many vulnerabilities and prefers the shortest route to disclosure which is usually in the form of rapid publication without informing the organization behind the vulnerable software.

After discovering a bug in the Windows kernel's EPATHOBJ: prFlattenRec function, he wrote to the list: "I don't have much free time to work on silly Microsoft code" and solicited ideas on how to successfully exploit the bug. With the help of user progmboy, Ormandy then developed a privilege escalation exploit which he shared with the mailing list, noting that another exploit was already in circulation.