Hi malware fighter,
A Google researcher has found up a hole in Windows that has been waiting there for some 17 years. All versions of the Operational System are vulnerable.
The hole is in the Virtual DOS Machine, that arrived in Windows with Windows NT 3.1 that was launched during 1993 uitkwam. VDM then was added to support 16-bit applications. The hole that was created at that time still can be found in all 32-bit Windows versions, yes all the way up including Windows 7.
This is reported by Tavis Ormandy while he presented this hole. He has discovered another overall Windows vulnerability that had been around for 8 years and one within the Linux-kernel.
Known since June last
He made the new Windows-hole public, because Windows did not bring out a patch while the firm has been noticed about the problem as early as June 12th 2009. Because there is an easy and effective work-around available, he decided to inform users. That is why he sought to make information about the hole public without a patch has been released. .
The work-arounds can also be found in his publication. Temporarily disabling of the MSDOS- en WOWEXEC-subsystems uis all it takes to be secure. Also policies to prevent some-one from executing any 16-bit application. This is a supportive practice in Windows. There are even a couple of vids that show how this is being tackled.
For 17 years now…
Users are advized to act because an attacker can inject code into the kernel during a succesful attack creating access to sensitive parts of the OS. Exploits function for Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 and 2008, Windows Vista and Windows 7. Researching the vulnerability on other systems is left to the “those interested”. The Immunity firm has added the exploit to its Canvas product.
Zero-day weaks
Microsoft researches the Omandy claims, but states the hole has not been exploited in the wild
(why leave it sitting there for 18 years, If one wants another proof of security through obscurity or we only act if we cannot leave it anymore, what further proof do you want - remarks by me)
de beweringen van Ormandy, maar zegt dat er nog geen gebruik wordt gemaakt van het lek. That Microsoft knew all the time about the hole and did not take any extion, can be affirmed by researcher Evgeny Legerov. He says cooperation with software producers does not bring a thing. Since he found out he comes up with a zero-day hole every day.
Links: http://archives.neohapsis.com/archives/fulldisclosure/2010-01/0346.html
http://techworld.nl/technologie/15452/hacker-publiceert-zero-day-bugs-als-protest.html
http://techworld.nl/technologie/15134/drie-weken-lang-zero-day-bugs.html
Source: found and translated from Webwereld.nl