Vulnerability Found In MP3, Windows Media Files

Internet Week ^ | 12-20-02 | By Mitch Wagner

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Security experts warned of vulnerability in MP3 and Windows Media files that can be activated simply by a user hovering his mouse over an infected file. The vulnerability could allow attackers to take over a user's PC.

The flaw in Windows XP can force the operating system to run code when a music file is played by Windows Explorer, the operating system's file-browsing application. Hovering the mouse pointer over a file will open a preview of it and trigger the file's payload if it has one. The vulnerability does not affect Windows Media Player, Microsoft said.

The popular Nullsoft Winamp free media player is also vulnerable.

Further information and patches to Windows and Winamp are available in several places on the Web: the Computer Emergency Response Team/Coordination Center (CERT/CC) at Carnegie Mellon University; Foundstone, with advisories for both Windows XP and Winamp; Microsoft; and Nullsoft, which has an update to Winamp.

[Gorzaloon]

Security experts warned of vulnerability in MP3 and Windows Media files that can be activated simply by a user hovering his mouse over an infected file. The vulnerability could allow attackers to take over a user's PC.

Probably just proudly written and released by the Recording Cartels.

[jimtorr]

Surprise! Another insecurity in Windows! An insecurity in both windows and explorer, this time. That's what Microsoft gets, for integrating a browser into the operating system.

[barker]

Watch out for the latest virus going around, There's two of them. First one is especially nasty.

---

If you receive an email entitled "Bedtimes" delete it
IMMEDIATELY. Do not open it. Apparently this one is
pretty nasty. It will not only erase everything on
your hard drive, but it will also delete anything on
disks within 20 feet of your computer.

It demagnetizes the strips on ALL of your credit
cards. It reprograms your ATM access code, screws up
the tracking on your VCR, and uses subspace field
harmonics to scratch any CD's you attempt to play. It
will program your phone auto dial to call only 1-800
numbers.

This virus will mix antifreeze into your fish tank.

IT WILL CAUSE YOUR TOILET TO FLUSH WHILE YOU ARE
SHOWERING.

It will drink ALL your beer.

FOR GOD'S SAKE, ARE YOU LISTENING??

It will leave dirty underwear on the coffee table when
you are expecting company. It will replace your
shampoo with Nair and your Nair with Rogaine. If the
"Bedtimes" message opened in a Windows 95/98
environment, it will leave the toilet seat up and
leave your hair dryer plugged in dangerously close to
a full bathtub.

It will not only remove the forbidden
tags from your mattresses and pillows, it will also
refill your Skim milk with whole milk.

******* WARN AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN. *******

And if you don't send this to 5000 people in 20
seconds, you'll fart so hard that your right leg will
spasm and shoot straight out in front of you, sending
sparks that will ignite the person nearest you.

Send this warning to everyone.

If you are a blonde, this is a joke.

---

Watchout for this nasty Senile virus.

Symptoms of Senile Virus:

1. Causes you to send same e-mail twice.
2. Causes you to send blank e-mail.
3. Causes you to send to wrong person.
4. Causes you to send back to person who sent it to you.
5. Causes you to forget to attach the attachment.
6. Causes you to hit "SEND" before you've finished the ...

[Tennessee_Bob]

I received a handwritten letter by mail just the other day. Here's what it contained:

You have just received the Amish virus. Since we have no electricity or computers, you are on the honor system. Please delete all of the files on your hard drive. Then forward this message to everyone in your address book. Thank thee.

Took me two days to reload my system after that.

[BearCub]

Surprise! Another insecurity in Windows! An insecurity in both windows and explorer, this time. That's what Microsoft gets, for integrating a browser into the operating system.

It's not an Explorer thing. It affects WinAmp too. And it has nothing to do with IE. Try again.

[jimtorr]

......can force the operating system to run code when a music file is played by Windows Explorer, the operating system's file-browsing application.

Not an Explorer thing? You may have missed this part of the article.

You say that I should try again? What, pray tell, should I try? I don't need to try anything, since you (the windows defending crowd) cooperate with Microsoft to do it to yourselves.

[willyb_jr]

I have the same problems with my customers...trying to explain the difference between Microsoft Windows Explorer and Internet Explorer.

The Windows Shell is responsible for providing the basic framework of the Windows user interface experience. It is most familiar to users as the Windows Desktop, but also provides a variety of other functions to help define the user's computing session, including organizing files and folders, and providing the means to start applications.

I myself don't play mp3 files, but if I did, they would probably be stored on my local drive...and found using Windows Explorer.

I would have probably downloaded the mp3's using Windows Internet Explorer. This article doesn't mention anything about Internet Explorer or any other browser for that matter.