Microsoft Issues Zero-Day Attack Alert For Word

Slashdot ^ | 12/05/2006 | kdawson

[sionnsar]

0xbl00d writes "Eweek.com is reporting a new Microsoft Word zero-day attack underway. Microsoft issued a security advisory to acknowledge the unpatched flaw, which affects Microsoft Word 2000, Microsoft Word 2002, Microsoft Office Word 2003, Microsoft Word Viewer 2003, Microsoft Word 2004 for Mac and Microsoft Word 2004 v. X for Mac. The Microsoft Works 2004, 2005 and 2006 suites are also affected because they include Microsoft Word. Simply opening a word document will launch the exploit. There are no pre-patch workarounds or anti-virus signatures available. Microsoft suggests that users 'not open or save Word files,' even from trusted sources."

[KoRn]

"Microsoft has tested the following workarounds.

Do not open or save Word files that you receive from un-trusted sources or that you receive unexpectedly from trusted sources. This vulnerability could be exploited when a user opens a specially crafted Word file.

Protect Your PC - (Could this mean avoiding their products all together?)

We continue to encourage customers follow our Protect Your PC guidance of enabling a firewall, getting software updates and installing ant-virus software. Customers can learn more about these steps by visiting Protect Your PC Web site.

This being their "workaround" is just funny to me. LOL what a joke!!

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

>> I've seen no need to upgrade from Word97,...

Are you mistaking Word 2003 for an upgrade? I still have Word 97 on my old family computer at home and Word 2003 at work and on my laptop. '97 works fine and if it ducks even one virus, that's gravy.

[rzeznikj at stout]

...as does pico, Scribus, Kwrite, Sam, Kate, Joe, and Ted 8^)

[Constantine XIII]

lol!

[rzeznikj at stout]

The funny thing is that I've got them all on my computer...

[Constantine XIII]

Whoops, we missed gedit! :p

[Darnright]

>OpenOffice.org time.<

Funny you should mention that. I just downloaded a new copy to the laptop my husband's getting for Christmas.

I hate spending such a large amount of money for Microsoft Office. Protection from nasties is an added bonus.

[Salo]

The proper spelling is "Loathsome" not "Lotus." :-)

Can't we all just use Lotus Notes?

BTW, Loathsome Notes uses so much MS code it's generally vulnerable to the same things office products are.

[MadIvan]

I'm a Linux person - largely because of what it's done for my old laptop (which I'm using now) - it's made it as sleek and fast and lovely as anything I could buy in the shops today. I can't think of a single instance in which I've missed Microsoft Office - OpenOffice on Linux is great. In fact, I've had difficult to open documents on my Windows PC at work, which I've had to use Openoffice (for Windows) to open which wouldn't have been viewable otherwise!

Regards, Ivan

[sionnsar]

Not to mention TSE - The Semware Editor.

[sionnsar]

What distro are you using?

[MadIvan]

I use Ubuntu 6.10 ("Edgy Eft").

Regards, Ivan

[Calvin Locke]

Yes, and I didn't explain myself very well.

I only keep Word 97 for envelopes, and the ease of word documents (pasted from Firefox) for d/l to my PDA.

Yes, I could use OO for saving into Word format, but it likes to go to the internet for embedded objects that Word 97
ignores, and since I generally block it, it has to time out, and then, it will sometimes crash.

If I really wanted linked objects...I'd save the damn stuff as a Web Page.

Most "upgrades" are usually bloatware.

Ah, for the days of Brief. I'd include Emacs, but Emacs wasn't exactly svelt.

[Swordmaker]

Windows Word Zero-Day vulnerability apparently also affects Word for Mac - PING!

Solution: Do not open or save Word files that you receive from un-trusted sources or that you receive unexpectedly from trusted sources.

If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me.

[FYREDEUS]

Just don't use versions from 2000-2006 [hmmmm] of software containing Word and you'll be fine...

There goes the number one reason for running Windoze?

Or waitaminute...hmmmmmm...

Interesting news right after they release Vista for corporations & with NEW version of Word/Office coming...suddenly the old versions are ALL broken DANGEROUSLY...and no patch just dont use THOSE...

Quite a plan indeed Ballmer...

[Tribune7]

ping

[Temple Owl]

Get a Mac!

[zeugma]

Microsoft suggests that users 'not open or save Word files,' even from trusted sources."

Best advise I've seen from Microsoft in ages.

[zeugma]

/s/advise/advice/g

 Don't you hate it when you catch mispellings as the thing is posting?
 

 

[zeugma]

edlin?

<shudder>

I generally use sed and awk from the command line to create any documents I need. Editors are for wimp.