Though few had expected that Microsoft will infringe its self patching policy, the corporation the past wedged to its guns and refused to give a fix for a critical bug to users operating Windows XP Service Pack 2.

Microsoft dispatched an emergency patch for Windows shortcut bug that assailants have been using for some weeks. The vulnerability affects all versions from Windows 2000 on, as well as XP, Vista and Windows 7.

But, for each Microsoft's practice, the oldest OS and service packs were deprived of update. "To be crystal clear, there is no safety update for XP SP2," said Microsoft presenter Christopher Budd in a Webcast on the out of band patch that he hosted Monday.

Microsoft retreat XP SP2, plus the even older Windows 2000, from all support on July, when equally editions outlet the corporation's last five-year "extensive support" phase. Products dropped from extensive support no longer obtain security patches or other non-security fixes from Microsoft by its Automatic Update service and business patch mechanisms like Windows Server Update Service (WSUS).