Zero click vulnerability in XP
It used to be, long ago, that we computer people would assure people that you can’t get a virus from an email. You have to actually run a program to get a virus. Just viewing the email can’t hurt you.
Of course, Microsoft fixed that one, by allowing scripts to be included in email that are executed automatically when the email is viewed. Then we’d say, you’re safe as long as you don’t OPEN the email. This was fixed too, as auto-preview was added to Outlook.
Here’s the latest one: Just pass your mouse over a malicious file, and get infected!! No click, no run, just mouse over. Turns out when you mouse over an MP3 or WMA file in Windows XP, it conveniently tries to grab the info from the ID3 tag in the file and display it. You can guess what comes next. That’s right, long artist name = buffer overflow!
The fix from Microsoft. Really funny line from their bulletin:
MITIGATING FACTORS: The vulnerability lies in the Windows Shell, rather than Windows Media Player. As a result, playing an audio file with Windows Media Player would not pose any additional risk.
Translation: Since you’re already dead as soon as your mouse passes over the file, go ahead and play it! We think this mitigates your risk somehow!
Another funny part is where they explain what to do if you think you have an infected file on your system. Of course, you should delete it. BUT WAIT! NOT WITH THE MOUSE!!! TOO LATE!!!!!!
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Does this problem exist in Outlook and Outlook Express? I though Outlook gives the user more ablity to right-click and delete the message without opening anything.
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Some versions of Outlook have the auto-preview thing, where the first N messages in your inbox are expanded so you can read the first few lines… and some of those versions run embedded scripts as part of showing the auto-preview.