Microsoft Issues Patch

Microsoft Corp. has released a patch to fix a security flaw that could allow a hacker to gain complete control, in a matter of seconds, of a Web site running Windows 2000 Internet server software. The security flaw was discovered about two weeks ago in the software’s Internet printing component by EEye Digital Security Inc. of Aliso Viejo while the company was testing the latest version of its security scanning software. Microsoft security program manager Scott Culp said customers running any version of the Internet server software would be vulnerable to an attack unless they had taken certain steps that could have disabled the Internet printing component that has the flaw. A fix is available on the company Web site. . . . Separately, Microsoft agreed to lend video-game publisher Interplay Entertainment Corp. of Irvine $5 million for exclusive rights to a game based on “The Matrix” movie for the new Xbox game console, a regulatory filing said. The agreement provides for online play available only through Microsoft’s Xbox. In Nasdaq trading, Interplay shares rose 28 cents to close at $2.18 and Microsoft rose $2.42 to close at $70.17.