Posted on 07/03/2004 9:46:15 PM PDT by Eagle9
As if to prove the point that security is like the Dutch boy at the dike, Microsoft on Friday released a stop-gap fix for one of several vulnerabilities that have plagued its Internet Explorer just as a security firm warned that virtually every browser -- not just IE -- can be spoofed by hackers.
The update, which Microsoft tagged as Critical, isn't a patch per se, but rather an change to Windows that disables the ADODB.Stream object within the operating system's Data Access Components (DAC).
Last week, an innovative attack launched by a Russian hacker group from previously-infected Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) servers compromised a large number of PCs with identity- and financial information-thieving Trojan horses and key loggers. The attack exploited a pair of vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer, one of which -- ADODB -- had not been patched by Microsoft.
While the Russian Web site that hosted the malicious code -- which was surreptitiously downloaded to the compromised computers -- was taken down last Friday to remove the immediate danger, Microsoft has still not released a patch. The ADODB disabler is meant only as a temporary fix, said Microsoft, until it can permanently fix IE.
In addition to this configuration change, Microsoft is working to provide a series of security updates to Internet Explorer in coming weeks that will provide additional protections, said Microsoft in a statement. Microsoft did not offer up a timeline for any future IE patches, saying only that a comprehensive update will be released once it has been thoroughly tested.
The update to disable ADODB should be downloaded and installed by all users of Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003, Microsoft said. It's available on the Windows Download site, or via the Windows Update
service. Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), which is expected to release in final form this summer, is not susceptible to the ADODB vulnerability.
Friday's update is one of the few pieces of good news IE users have heard in the last week.
After a rash of exploits against IE vulnerabilities -- including the Web attack of last week, password-stealing Trojans, and a new way for hackers to spoof, or fake, Web sites -- some security analysts questioned whether Internet Explorer was safe enough to use.
Even the U.S. Computer Emergency Response Team (US-CERT), part of the federal government's Department of Homeland Security, recommended that users consider ditching IE for an alternate such as Mozilla or Opera.
We're recommending one of two things, said Thomas Kristensen, the chief technology officer at Danish security firm Secunia. Either use Internet Explorer under very restricted security settings -- which may not be possible for all companies -- or install a different browser.
Wednesday, Secunia issued a warning saying it had discovered a vulnerability within IE that allowed scammers to spoof, or fake, the content of a site displayed in the browser.
On Friday, however, the security vendor modified the alert to claim that virtually every browser, from Internet Explorer and Mozilla to Opera and Netscape -- including browsers for both Windows and the Mac OS -- has this flaw.
It's not a code vulnerability, said Secunia's Kristensen, but a design flaw.
The problem stems from how browsers handle frames. Some time ago, browser designers decided that one site needed to be able to manipulate the content of another, and the functionality was adopted by everyone, said Kristensen. But hackers can use this to inject phony content -- say their own credit card-stealing form -- into a frame of an actual trusted Web site, such as a user's online bank.
In these times of phishing attacks and other scams, this is a problem, said Kristensen. You're visiting a bank or an e-commerce site, and you're certain of that site, but meanwhile, it's [actually] open in the background to content change by hackers.
Internet Explorer users can stymie such spoofing attacks by disabling the Navigate sub-frames across different domains setting under Tools/Internet Options/Security.
Secunia offered up a quick test that users can run to see if their current browser is vulnerable to this problem.
Ping, to an article and comments that you may have missed.
"It's not all that difficult to understand, Ed. Where are you?"
Southern Oregon...
"You're on a Windows-oriented thread (Microsoft Plugs IE; Warns All Browsers At Risk)."
That warning applied to me, on my Mac, as well, though.
"Many of you are only here to throw in your inane "switch-to-a-Mac-I-did" comments, or to [strangely] stroke your own self-esteem."
I don't think that's really true with most of us Mac owners...
Ed
Wow, thanks for the ping! This is more for me to read as I experiment with my recently installed Norton System Works. It seems like I'm zipping along at a snail's pace (LOL!), but I'm learning a whole heck of a lot!
A real pain in the neck, but an excellent learning opportunity. :o)
Did you see this thread?
If not, then PING!
ping
That's ok! We BOTH have learning curves! LOL!
We'll get there, as long as we stick with our respective projects, that's all!
Thank God for iMac's! But hubby has a PC for the office, so am pinging him to this thread!
Info bump.
Well, I had THAT one figured out all right! Not much else figured, though! LOL!
Sounds like you're grinding your wheels. That happens to me, too. I've found that when I get like that, it's time for me to pull the plug, and get something else on my mind. I realize I need to either recharge my mental batteries, or clear the spinning part of my brain, in order to let a new approach float in. Of course a prayer helps, too. :o)
...I can still do that with the best of them...
I'm sure you can! And when you're done with this, you'll even do *more* with the best of them! Really. And I'll do better, too.
I thank *you* for helping me!
Check your mail....
" 'That warning applied to me, on my Mac, as well, though.
"Considering that Safari is the default browser for OS X, nice try."
Uh..."default" does not mean mandatory.
I use IE for the Mac as well as Opera and Camino, plus...the headline said "Other browsers," which implies other OS's.
Not so nice try.
"Rrrrright, Ed. Enjoy your illusions:"
Uh...you quote three people, whereas us mac owners will post dozens of responses.
One can ALWAYS find a minority adherent to one's statement, but that doesn't prove the truth of said statement if there's only a few variants from the mean...
Ed
Firefox rules! Not only is it much more secure than IE regarding spyware, trojans, and viruses, but as far as I'm concerned, pop-ups no longer exist. Great browser!
Thanks for the heads up.
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