Lesson plan

WinNuke

In computer security, WinNuke is an example of a Nuke remote denial-of-service attack (DoS) exploit that affected the Microsoft Windows 3.1x, Windows NT 3x, Windows 95 and Windows NT 4 computer operating systems. The exploit sent a string of Out-of-band data (OOB data) to the target computer on TCP port 139 (NetBIOS), causing it to lock up and display a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD). This does not damage or change the data on the computer's hard disk, but any unsaved data would be lost. This exploit has been patched with the release of Windows Socket 2 update for Windows 95 and Service Pack 3 for Windows NT 4. Windows 98 RC0, Windows 2000 and newer operating systems are not vulnerable to this exploit. In 2002, a second incarnation of the similar exploit that utilized Network Share Provider appeared, was identified by Microsoft in 2004 and was patched subsequently. Windows Vista and newer Microsoft Operating Systems are immune to both of these exploits.

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Article summary

In computer security, WinNuke is an example of a Nuke remote denial-of-service attack (DoS) exploit that affected the Microsoft Windows 3.1x, Windows NT 3x, Windows 95 and Windows NT 4 computer operating systems. The exploit sent a string of Out-of-band data (OOB data) to the target computer on TCP port 139 (NetBIOS), causing it to lock up and display a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD). This does not damage or change the data on the computer's hard disk, but any unsaved data would be lost. This exploit has been patched with the release of Windows Socket 2 update for Windows 95 and Service Pack 3 for Windows NT 4. Windows 98 RC0, Windows 2000 and newer operating systems are not vulnerable to this exploit. In 2002, a second incarnation of the similar exploit that utilized Network Share Provider appeared, was identified by Microsoft in 2004 and was patched subsequently. Windows Vista and newer Microsoft Operating Systems are immune to both of these exploits.

Key claims

  1. publication date: 1997-05-09 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95

Discussion questions

  1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
  2. The record states that the publication date is "1997-05-09". What evidence would count against this claim?
  3. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
  4. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

Bibliography

No sources recorded.

Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.