Registry hack allows XP SP2 updates

[nsane.forums]

Security firm recycles old gaming hack

Users of Windows XP service pack two (SP2) may still be able to get security updates, despite the lack of Microsoft support, thanks to a hack rediscovered by researchers at F-Secure.

SP2 users trying to upload security updates now get an error message, but the team at F-Secure remembered an old hack that gamers used to run Grand Theft Auto on older Windows systems. Altering the registry code by one digit fools Microsoft's servers into accepting the host system as running SP3 and allows the installation of current security patches.

"It turns out that an SP2 system will think its SP3 if you edit this key: HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Windows, and edit the DWORD value CSDVersion from 200 to 300 (and reboot)," said F-Secure."It worked for GTA IV, so we decided to test it with KB2286198. And our test worked, WindowsXP-KB2286198-x86-ENU.exe installed on our SP2 test system once we tweaked the registry. We also tested an LNK exploit, and it did not infect the system after the patch."

Users of older versions of XP are being urged by Microsoft to upgrade their systems but many are proving slow to do so. Security consultant Dale Pearson said that while the hack seemed to work users shouldn't expect such easy fixes in the future.

"I recommend people carry out their own testing, and then, if appropriate, look to apply this patch as an interim measure," he said.

"However it is still important to update your systems to XP Service Pack 3 or to Windows 7, as this issue will continue, and you may not be so lucky next time."

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