µTorrent silently fixes long-standing zero-day vuln

Popular BitTorrent client µTorrent has quietly patched a vulnerability that created a means for hackers to load malware onto the PCs of file-sharers simply by persuading them to open a poisoned Torrent. The Hollywood-dream bug stemmed from a stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability and offered far more potential for mischief …

[Gianni Straniero]

Zero-day vulnerability?

If it's been open for two years, doesn't that make it a minus 730 day vulnerability?

Mine's the one with the calendar in the pocket.

[Colin]

Sorry but.........

Anyone that got any malware via µTorrent while downloading illegal, pirated content deserves everything they got. Lie down with the dogs and you can expect to wake up with fleas!

I love the idea of the bandwidth hogging freetards getting nailed by malware.

Now if only someone would write a program that automatically shuts down the freetard's net connection for at least 8 hours starting at 7pm, using the freetard's own local time zone so that all their neighbours can actually have a decent amount of bandwidth in order to use the internet legally.

[ZM]

@Colin

Yeah, because OBVIOUSLY the only people who might possibly have a chance to run afoul of this would be those trying to download things "illegally" since OBVIOUSLY bittorrent has no real "legal" use, right?

*eye roll*

[Howard Fukuda]

re: Sorry but.........

First of all, not all uses of BitTorrent are illegal. I've downloaded many Linux distros with BitTorrent.

Second of all, if you're having bandwidth problems, blame your ISP. If I'm paying for unlimited high-speed internet, I'm going to use it!

[Richard]

@ Colin

Your comment is supremely fallacious. You've made the following two incorrect assumptions, among others:

1) The only things down/uploaded through torrents are unauthorised copies of copyrighted works.

Wrong - torrents are a primary distribution source for large files of all natures - latest Linux ISOs, freely-available video and audio content, open-source binaries.

There are also a few companies using torrents to distribute their copyrighted works, with users purchasing the licence and activating it separately.

2) Torrents are the only high-bandwidth consumers.

How about the BBC iPlayer? YouTube?

There's quite a few very high-bandwidth consumers out there.

Peer-to-peer transfer makes economic sense for many large-sized transfers, as it saves huge amounts on hosting costs.

[Tony Paulazzo]

Also @ Colin

BT do that anyway, it's in their T&Cs, they're happy for their customers to torrent, but at busy times they will throttle their speed back. Anyone torrenting does so over a 24 hour period so it doesn't much matter if the speed is throttled back during the evening, utorrent actually has a setting for the user to do this too. So, whilst downloading the latest Oblivion user created uber mod (torrents have a huge game modders section as well as all the illegal stuff), I'm quite happy for it to trickle down in the evening.

If you're having slow speeds in the evening when you're 'legally' using the internet, maybe you should take that up with your ISP.

[Anonymous Coward]

@Colin

Wingetard should try a better ISP. I do not have any limits throttleing on my connection, and someone hasn't convinced me its due to camcorders in cinemas! Hey, look this way, [/steals wallet - and brain for what its worth]

[Anonymous Coward]

@Colin

Fantastic, Colin! you give scope for a whole new "tard-ism."

In light of your cheapo-ness regarding having adequate bandwidth that so you don't get pinched out, I dub you a niggardtard - or nigtard.

Take your pick ;-)

[Law]

@ Colin

Consider yourself told! lol

[Colin]

lol @ the morons

Consider yourselves Trolled

Oh yeah I am truely told, no, no honestly, really I am! Oh boo hoo poor me whatever will I do?

I mean it's not like I just waved a great big red flag to see what sort cretinous reactions would be forthcoming from the, "hey torrents are not all bad and anyway I only use it for getting a linux distro", types or anything now was it?

Good to know we still have some of you reading the Reg maybe one day you might learn when someone is pushing your buttons. But I doubt it.

[Anonymous Coward]

@ Colin

Nice try there Colin, will give you 7.5 for artistic impression, but a mere 2.5 for execution.

[g00p]

re: lol @ morons

lol @ newbish comeback

well done colin!

[Matthew]

nice one colin :)

9/10

mint