- Joined
- Apr 19, 2007
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- Printer Model
- Canon MB5120, Pencil
Another Day, Another Hacker's Exploit
https://www.windowscentral.com/how-mitigate-print-spooler-printnightmare-vulnerability-windows-10
Some computer research geniuses accidentally published new code they figured out that allows one to hack the Print Spooler on Windows machines and then gain system-level access. The hacker might as well be sitting at your computer. Worse, you may not realize you've been hacked until after they harvest your passwords, credit card and bank account numbers, and read your secret diary about your unnatural attraction to plushies.
This exploit seems to be preferential to Windows 10 and any Server editions, but Microsoft won't spill the whole story, so protect yourself with whatever version of Windows you run. Mac people can stop laughing now.
Until MS releases a fix/patch, the workaround is easy: either disable Print Spooler (all Windows versions including Home edition) or make a change in a Group Policy (Server and Windows Pro and Enterprise editions only).
Stopping the Print Spooler Service results in the inability to print both remotely and locally - you will not be able to print until you Start Print Spooler again. Takes about 4 seconds for me to toggle on or off.
Altering Group Policy allows for local printing on the computer directly wired to the printer only while blocking access to all others remotely. This is a one time thing if you only print from a wired printer (until you want to turn the whole shebang back on again when the fix/patch is released). Again, those with Windows Home supposedly cannot edit Group Policy.
PS the Print Spooler has been a problem for years with various exploits perpetrated via it. I read that Iranian nuke centrifuges were banjaxxed by the Stuxnet exploit that targeted, in part, the Print Spooler. What are the odds that MS will finally fix the vulnerable nature of this file in Windows 11?
https://www.windowscentral.com/how-mitigate-print-spooler-printnightmare-vulnerability-windows-10
Some computer research geniuses accidentally published new code they figured out that allows one to hack the Print Spooler on Windows machines and then gain system-level access. The hacker might as well be sitting at your computer. Worse, you may not realize you've been hacked until after they harvest your passwords, credit card and bank account numbers, and read your secret diary about your unnatural attraction to plushies.
This exploit seems to be preferential to Windows 10 and any Server editions, but Microsoft won't spill the whole story, so protect yourself with whatever version of Windows you run. Mac people can stop laughing now.
Until MS releases a fix/patch, the workaround is easy: either disable Print Spooler (all Windows versions including Home edition) or make a change in a Group Policy (Server and Windows Pro and Enterprise editions only).
Stopping the Print Spooler Service results in the inability to print both remotely and locally - you will not be able to print until you Start Print Spooler again. Takes about 4 seconds for me to toggle on or off.
Altering Group Policy allows for local printing on the computer directly wired to the printer only while blocking access to all others remotely. This is a one time thing if you only print from a wired printer (until you want to turn the whole shebang back on again when the fix/patch is released). Again, those with Windows Home supposedly cannot edit Group Policy.
PS the Print Spooler has been a problem for years with various exploits perpetrated via it. I read that Iranian nuke centrifuges were banjaxxed by the Stuxnet exploit that targeted, in part, the Print Spooler. What are the odds that MS will finally fix the vulnerable nature of this file in Windows 11?
