Vulnerable Computers

Numerous computers have succumbed to an attack that exploited a vulnerability in their aged operating systems.

Apparently the vulnerability had for several years been known to American Security people who had joyfully exploited it to spy on people's data, until hackers stole the secret from Government computers. Microsoft responded by releasing a 'patch' in March, but those in change of the National Health Service computer systems still hadn't got round to applying that patch in mid May, when a virus struck.

From time to time Government agencies demand that computer security systems should have a built in weakness, often called a 'back door', to allow them access. If Governments can't keep such back doors secret malicious folk will be able to use them too.