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Windows 7 and 8.1 Users Vulnerable to NTFS Bug

ntfs as binary code 3D illustration
A file system flaw, the NTFS bug, hangs or crashes PCs running Windows 7 or Windows 8.1. For now, users are advised to avoid the flaw by using Google Chrome.

A new NTFS bug has caused Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 desktops to slow down performance and even crash. Those who are still running Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 on their PCs should be aware of this new vulnerability, which is an unusual bug.

However, desktops that run on Windows 10 are not vulnerable to this new NTFS file system flaw. Attackers can use the bug, which has been caused by the manner in which Microsoft handles file paths, to crash the systems with the file call.

$MFT Filename

The unusual NTFS bug is seen only when users browse websites using the $MFT filename for image sources. The file name is used in the NTFS file systems for specific metadata files. The $MFT file can be seen in all NTFS volumes in their root directories.

However, the NTFS driver is capable of handling the file in specific ways that are not visible to the user, so most software systems aren’t able to access it.

Normally, any attempt to open the $MFT file would not possible, as it gets blocked.

However, a smart trickster has found that if $MFT is used like a directory, the volume driver of NTFS will hang.

About the Bug

It seems that web pages using $MFT file names in their directory cause desktops to become slow in their performance and even crash with blue screens.

This flaw occurs as the browser tries to access the malicious file in the Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 operating systems.

Some filenames will end up locking the system or make it crash with blue screens.

A malicious webpage will then be able to embed the filename using it as an image source.

When such pages are visited through any browser, the desktop hangs and could even crash.

In short, the NTFS bug makes use of particular file names for creating a crash.

Bug Noticed

A system programmer from Russia, who works for the security organization Alladin RD, noticed the NTFS bug.

The Verge then went on and conducted trials on the NTFS bug, reporting that the flaw had been tested on the Windows 7 desktops using Internet Explorer. The test resulted in a slowdown of the desktop and users had to reboot the system in order to make it work.

The Verge noted that it is possible that the blue screen of death (BSoD) could occur in some PCs due to the NTFS bug, because the life system gets locked to the particular file and as a result, all other apps will also not be able to access the files.

Bug Reported

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A new NTFS bug has caused Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 desktops to slow down performance and even crash.

The NTFS bug has been reported to Microsoft, according to reports.

It is reported that a spokesperson from the company has made a statement that Microsoft is looking into this NTFS bug issue and will be ready with an update very soon.

Users of Windows 7 and the Windows 8.1 version of the operating systems are being advised to use Google Chrome until Microsoft offers an update for this bug.

This NTFS bug is almost the same as another file path bug that was found during the 1990s, with a crash being triggered using a bug that affected Windows 95 and the Windows 98 operating systems.

Chrome is Safe

According to reports, many users testing the problem of the NTFS bug have noted that the flaw cannot cause a problem when Google Chrome browser is used.

This is because the Google Chrome browser does not allow images to be loaded using malformed paths, namely the $MFT.

Many users have tested the NTFS bug and have also made comments online stating that the Chrome browser refuses to load these images.

Also, according to reports, Windows 7 and the Windows 8.1 can hang or crash due to the NTFS bug, when using Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox.

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