Microsoft updates Windows Defender to remove Superfish adware

Microsoft has updated its Windows Defender to remove the Superfish adware which reportedly made Lenovo users susceptible to attacks.

According to the Verge, researchers are reporting that Windows Defender, Microsoft's onboard anti-virus software, is now actively removing the Superfish software that came pre-installed on many Lenovo computers. Windows Defender will also carry the task of resetting any SSL certificates that were bypassed by Superfish, and restore the system to proper working order.

Researchers recently discovered that Lenovo's Superfish bug could easily give way to attackers looking to breach the systems using the security flaws opened up by the software. Superfish is present on Lenovo laptops sold between September 2014 and January 2015, although Lenovo says no Thinkpads were shipped with the software, the report said.

Researchers have reportedly found and published a password that can turn a security flaw into an active carrier of attack. Errata Security's Robert David Graham said in a post that the password was stored in the Superfish software's active memory and was trivial to extract, the report added.

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