Microsoft, today, has released a patch for it’s Windows Operating Systems. The patch released on Thursday is to resolves the vulnerability in server service which could allow remote code execution. This patch is released out of the cycle just after one week of releasing the regular updates. The patch is rated critical for Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 and has severity ratings for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008.

According to the security bulletin released by Microsoft, the patch resolves a vulnerability which could allow remote code execution if the affected system is attacked a RPC request. In Windows 2000, XP and 2003 the attacker could exploit this hole without authentication.

This security update resolves a privately reported vulnerability in the Server service. The vulnerability could allow remote code execution if an affected system received a specially crafted RPC request. On Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003 systems, an attacker could exploit this vulnerability without authentication to run arbitrary code. It is possible that this vulnerability could be used in the crafting of a wormable exploit. Firewall best practices and standard default firewall configurations can help protect network resources from attacks that originate outside the enterprise perimeter.

This security update is rated Critical for all supported editions of Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, and rated Important for all supported editions of Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. For more information, see the subsection, Affected and Non-Affected Software, in this section.

The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting the way that the Server service handles RPC requests. For more information about the vulnerability, see the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) subsection for the specific vulnerability entry under the next section, Vulnerability Information.

You can download the updates from the following links:

• Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4
• Windows XP Service Pack 2
• Windows XP Service Pack 3
• Windows XP Professional x64 Edition
• Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2
• Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1
• Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2
• Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition
• Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2
• Windows Server 2003 with SP1 for Itanium-based Systems
• Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems
• Windows Vista and Windows Vista Service Pack 1
• Windows Vista x64 Edition and Windows Vista x64 Edition Service Pack 1
• Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems
• Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems
• Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems