The issue focused on Microsoft Windows software systems because Microsoft devices running Windows Server 2003 use Unix operating systems and servers run Unix machines. Since computers running Unix machines require passwords that must be derived from algorithms based on cryptography to encrypt passwords, hackers may obtain machine passwords using malware such as CryptoWall or CryptAgent. Computer viruses used by criminals also hide computer passwords in databases so they cannot be cracked without computing knowledge of the passwords.


Microsoft engineers responded by issuing patches for Microsoft Windows servers running Windows XP SP3 and Windows Vista