Effects
SecAdv935423 is not categorized as virus, worm, Trojan or backdoor. It is a security advisory released by Microsoft in order to give information about a vulnerable component that affects Windows Vista/2003/XP computers, which allows arbitrary code to be remotely executed in the vulnerable computer.
This vulnerability is due to the way in which Windows handles animated cursor files (.ANI).
Animated cursors are a feature that allows a series of frames to appear, one after another, at the mouse pointer location instead of a single image, producing a short loop of animation.
If exploited successfully, the vulnerability allows hackers to gain remote control of the affected computer with the same privileges as the logged on user. If this user had administrator rights , the hacker could take complete control of the system: create, modify or delete files, install programs, create new user accounts, etc.
This vulnerability is usually exploited by creating a specially crafted web page and enticing users to access it or by sending a specially crafted email message.
If you have a Windows Vista/2003/XP computer, it is recommended to download and apply the security patch for this vulnerability. Click here to access the web page for downloading the different patches for each vulnerable version.