Recently, I learned about the Windows 10 bug that can corrupt all data on a partition when it is encountered. Another bug allows the immediate blocking of the PC with BSOD screen, at the simple access of a link.
Although it looks very modern on the surface, in reality the Windows 10 operating system still hides a lot of outdated code. Preserved for compatibility with old applications, or inherited from previous versions of Windows, various drivers and operating system routines can trigger all sorts of bugs, some with extremely serious consequences.
Take the example of the NTFS driver, which when entering a seemingly harmless command can lead to loss of data on the PC. It seems that when you try to access a folder on an NTFS partition and add the Index Attribute or “$ i30” to the name, the entire partition becomes corrupted. The bug occurs even when simply accessing Windows shortcuts, if they have been modified to target an address that includes that command (for example, “C: \: i $ 30: $ bitmap”).
While the NTFS bug is about to be fixed with a Windows update, another bug that exploits operating system routines based on “inherited” code can be used to block any PC with a Windows operating system. A simple specially formulated link, sneaked into an email or accessed on a website, can trigger a BSOD error causing the PC to restart forcibly.
More than a prank tool, the bug can be used to disrupt the work of companies and institutions, blocking critical information systems.
As long as Windows tries to process that link, for example, entered in a browser’s address bar, the PC will lock in the BSOD screen. In some cases, the bug may even be exploited to cause a BSOD immediately when Windows starts.
Microsoft confirms the reported problem, but does not offer a patch to fix it, for now.
