[virusinfo] 'Critical' Windows Hijack Flaw Reported
- From: "Mike" <mikebike@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: virusinfo@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 26 Apr 2004 12:52:33 -0700
From; eSecurityPlanet - part of the Earthweb network
'Critical' Windows Hijack Flaw Reported April 26, 2004 By Ryan Naraine
Researchers warn that the boundary error vulnerability could cause a buffer
overflow and lead to system takeover.
http://nl.internet.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=1,uz1,1,w7v,htbj,1std,6jmd
Security researchers have discovered a serious boundary error vulnerability
in multiple versions of Microsoft's Windows platform and warned that
attackers could hijack systems via Windows Explorer and Internet Explorer
(IE).
Rodrigo Gutierrez, a researcher with Trustix AS, notified Microsoft of the
flaw with a warning that it could be exploited by malicious attackers to
cause a buffer overflow and lead to system takeover.
Microsoft confirmed Gutierrez's findings in an advisory and recommended
users install the latest service packs for Windows XP and Windows 2000. The
software giant said the hole was fixed in the service packs but independent
security consultants Secunia said the vulnerability "has been confirmed on
fully patched systems running Windows XP and Windows 2000."
Secunia rates the flaw as "highly critical" and urged Windows XP and Windows
2000 users to restrict traffic in border routers and firewalls as a
temporary workaround. Users could also disable the "Client for Microsoft
Networks" for network cards to impact file sharing functionality.
The flaw also reportedly affects Windows 95, 98, and Me and Secunia said it
was unknown whether Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 2003 were at risk.
According to the advisories, the boundary error issue is triggered via
Internet Explorer and Windows Explorer when connecting to a file server.
This can be exploited to cause a buffer overflow by setting up a malicious
share with an overly long name (about 300 bytes) containing no lower case
characters.
"Successful exploitation may potentially allow execution of arbitrary code
on a user's system but requires that the user is either tricked into
connecting to a malicious file server, visit a malicious website, or follow
a specially crafted link," Secunia warned.
The Secunia alert listed the affected Microsoft operating systems as Windows
XP Pro, Windows XP Home Edition, Windows Millenium, Windows 98 Second
Edition, Windows 98, Windows 95, Windows 2000 Server, Windows 2000
Professional, Windows 2000 Datacenter Server and Windows 2000 Advanced
Server.
Affected software include IE versions 5.01, 5.5 and 6.0.
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