Windows Server® 2008 Security Resource Kit

Attacks on Services

Because Windows comes with so many default services that are started automatically with every Windows boot, malicious hackers know they are likely to be available and often target them. This section will cover the most prolific Windows service attack to date and the most common ways a service can be attacked.

Blaster Worm

Probably the most infamous Windows service attack was the so-called Blaster worm (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/826955) of 2003. Blaster attacked a known buffer overflow vulnerability in the Windows DCOM RPC service on Windows 2000 and Windows XP computers. Although the vulnerability was known and a Microsoft security update was available, a large percentage of Windows computers were not updated. Adding to ...