So your running Windows XP Pro, you’ve downloaded service pack two and turned on the built in firewall. You’re setup for automatic updates and you install them automatically to make sure you’re up to date. Feeling pretty safe right about now aren’t you? Well guess what if you have remote desktop turned on your wide open for an attack! There is a vulnerabilty in this configuration as reported by ZDNet UK. The vulnerabilty would allow a remote user to crash your system. As of yet there is no patch available to fix this. My recomendation if the system is addressable via the Net is to turn of Remote Desktop if you have it enabled until Microsoft closes this door.
** UPDATE! This vulnerability is more widespread! It effects all flavors of XP including Media Center, as well as Windows 2003 servers.