computer science

SMBGhost

SMBGhost is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand SMBGhost rather than just read about it. In short: SMBGhost (or SMBleedingGhost or CoronaBlue) is a type of security vulnerability, with wormlike features, that affects Windows 10 computers and was first reported publicly on 10 March 2020. Security vulnerability A proof of concept (PoC) exploit code was published 1 June 2020 on GitHub by a security researcher.

Key takeaways

SMBGhost belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect SMBGhost to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of SMBGhost from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

SMBGhost (or SMBleedingGhost or CoronaBlue) is a type of security vulnerability, with wormlike features, that affects Windows 10 computers and was first reported publicly on 10 March 2020.

Security vulnerability A proof of concept (PoC) exploit code was published 1 June 2020 on GitHub by a security researcher. The code could possibly spread to millions of unpatched computers, resulting in as much as tens of billions of dollars in losses. Microsoft recommends all users of Windows 10 versions 1903 and 1909 and Windows Server versions 1903 and 1909 to install patches, and states, "We recommend customers install updates as soon as possible as publicly disclosed vulnerabilities have the potential to be leveraged by bad actors ... An update for this vulnerability was released in March [2020], and customers who have installed the updates, or have automatic updates enabled, are already protected." Workarounds, according to Microsoft, such as disabling SMB compression and blocking port 445, may help but may not be sufficient. According to the advisory division of Homeland Security, "Malicious cyber actors are targeting unpatched systems with the new [threat], ... [and] strongly recommends using a firewall to block server message block ports from the internet and to apply patches to critical- and high-severity vulnerabilities as soon as possible."

References

External links

Video (02:40) – SMBGhost patching (CVE-2020-0796) on YouTube (12 March 2020) Video (02:40) – SMBGhost check (CVE-2020-0796) on YouTube (12 March 2020) Video (04:22) – SMBGhost vulnerability (CVE-2020-0796) on YouTube (13 March 2020) Video (11:10) – SMBGhost scan/exploit (CVE-2020-0796) on YouTube (13 March 2020) Video (07:27) – SMBGhost explained (CVE-2020-0796) on YouTube (4 April 2020) Video (00:50) – SMBGhost crashes W10 (CVE-2020-0796) on YouTube (10 June 2020)

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with SMBGhost

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what SMBGhost claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to SMBGhost before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about SMBGhost ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of SMBGhost

In research: SMBGhost appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses SMBGhost in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: SMBGhost is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 2020 in computing, Computer security, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for SMBGhost outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study SMBGhost in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what SMBGhost means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain SMBGhost out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is SMBGhost in simple terms?

SMBGhost (or SMBleedingGhost or CoronaBlue) is a type of security vulnerability, with wormlike features, that affects Windows 10 computers and was first reported publicly on 10 March 2020. Security vulnerability A proof of concept (PoC) exploit code was published 1 June 2020 on GitHub by a security…

Why does SMBGhost matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study SMBGhost?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on SMBGhost.