Top 20 security vulnerability list

Top 20 security vulnerability list

The latest list of 20 top security vulnerabilities highlights bugs and issues found in anti-virus scanners and various media players. Normally the applications from Microsoft especially their web browser and database systems like Oracle take away chunk of the positions. The latest list highlight the issues discovered in the first quarter of the current year and have been compiled by the SANS Institute in co-operation with security vendors such as TippingPoint and Qualys.

They researchers found that more than 600 issues were discovered in the period of three months out which the list highlights the top 20 worst cases. These mostly contain the vulnerabilities that are easy to exploit and a large number of un-patched systems existed. The institute also issued a warning: “Individuals and organizations that do not correct these problems face a heightened threat that remote, unauthorized hackers will take control of their computers and use them for identity theft, for industrial espionage, or for distributing spam or pornography.”

However, Internet Explorer still manages to become one of the top targets of the virus makers. It is well supported by flaws discovered in the Microsoft Windows subsystems like the recently made popular Server Message Block bug. Symantec, Real Player, iTunes, and WinAmp are the other popular applications, which managed to enter the top 20 list. Oracle database systems also entered with a bug, for which a patch was released in the January itself.

For a more detailed look, check the list of 20 top security vulnerabilities of the first quarter of 2005 here.