Windows Firewall flaw may hide open ports

A flaw in Windows Firewall may prevent users from seeing all the open network ports on a Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 computer.
The flaw manifests itself in the way the security application handles some entries in the Windows Registry, Microsoft said in a security advisory published Wednesday. The Windows Registry stores PC settings and is a core part of the operating system.

The bug could allow a firewall port to be open without the user being informed through the standard Windows Firewall user interface, according to the Microsoft advisory. The company has released a fix that can be downloaded from Microsoft's Web site and will be part of a future Windows service pack, the company said.

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