Microsoft said Tuesday that under certain circumstances, attackers could exploit an anomaly in how Windows 2000, XP and Windows 2003 systems establish wireless connections. But users can take simple steps to neutralize the threat. Mark "Simple Nomad" Loveless -- senior security researcher for Mountain View, Calif.-based Vernier Networks Inc.'s Vernier Threat Labs and a self-described hacker -- released details of the glitch last weekend at the ShmooCon 2006 hacker conference in Washington, D.C. In his written findings, Loveless said, "If a laptop connects to an ad hoc network it can later start beaconing the ad hoc network's SSID as its own ad- hoc network without the laptop owner's knowledge. This can allow an attacker to attach to the laptop as a prelude to further attack."