10 Month Old Vulnerability Continues to Be Core For Exploits
http://lists.netsys.com/pipermail/full-disclosure/2004-June/022498.html
http-equiv points this out well there.
"All the while conveniently omitting the fact that the so-
called 'vulnerability' that does the actual 'sneaking' is a
time tested in both demonstration and in the wild 'feature' of
Microsoft. The adodb.stream object. Repeatedly proven to be the
core and still not addressed for 10 months now.
Microsoft needs to decide whether THAT is in fact a
vulnerability or a feature because without it [and a few others]
you have nothing. An unremarkable "cross zones," capability as
the author of the little news snippet so aptly puts it and who
failed to query the manufacturer of this remarkable feature."
...
To protect yourself, you can kill bit this object. It is almost
never used.
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\ActiveX
Compatibility\{00000566-0000-0010-8000-00AA006D2EA4}] "Compatibility
Flags"=dword:00000400
For those not up on these cross zone scenarios... right now it
is possible to run malicious code of one's choosing through html
merely if one can find a security hole that breaches from the
internet or restricted zone to the local zone.
Another fix, and a really good idea... is to make "My Computer" Zone,
aka, "the Local Zone" become visible in your internet properties and
harden it done like the Restricted Zone. These two fixes will prevent
most unknown IE vulnerabilities -- bottomline.
[HKEY CURRENT USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet
Settings\Zones\0]
"Flags"= dword:00000001
It would be nice if Microsoft included this zone in their settings,
say, in XP SP2, and in future w2k3 update. Hiding this kind of thing
is a bit like hiding one's safe for one's guns, without the guns in
it.
The bar is and does remain low from running code of your choice in
Internet Explorer. It has for months. Most of the worms we have seen
rely on this. I have no idea why Microsoft has not rushed a fix for
this issue. Especially considering the vast numbers of infected people.