Windows Widgets Security Hole Discovery

[pcjunklist]

Whether you see Windows Vista and Windows 7 Gadgets as handy tools or a blight upon a pristine desktop, you might want to shut them off for safety's sake. Mickey Shkatov and Toby Kohlenberg have found that the desktop widgets' web-based code have flaws that would allow malicious Gadgets, or even hijacked legitimate Gadgets, to compromise a PC without having to go through the usual avenues of attack. Microsoft's short-term answer to the vulnerability is a drastic one, though: a stopgap patch disables Gadgets entirely, leaving just a barren desktop in its wake. There's no word on a Gadget-friendly solution arriving before Kohlenberg and Shkatov present at the Black Hat Conference on July 26th, but we suspect Microsoft's ultimate answer is to move everyone to Windows 8, where Gadgets aren't even an option. We understand the importance of preventing breaches, of course -- we're just disappointed that we'll have to forgo miniature stock tickers and weather forecasts a little sooner than expected.
http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/11/microsoft-advises-nuking-windows-gadgets-after-security-hole/

 

[McLovin]

Don't use any Windows Widgets things, never have. On the laptop that has Vista, it's slow as it is and having them would make it go even slower.

 

[Plexx]

Never seen the need for gadgets. I rather use Rainmeter for monitoring etc, while other stuff just run in manually.

 

[WinAndLinuxTutorials]

Havent used gadgets since almost a year.

 

[McLovin]

I rather use Rainmeter for monitoring etc, while other stuff just run in manually.

Agreed that is what I use as well for Windows 7. Great skins you can get for it as well.

 

[Deleted member 178]

Rainmeter too, Windows Gadgets are heavy on RAM.

 

[McLovin]

Rainmeter too, Windows Gadgets are heavy on RAM.

The ones that you used to use looked good, but had to remove them for the reason that they used to much.

 

[Deleted member 178]

yes, i removed them for the same reason, RAM & CPU usage too high