Web Insecurity

Early Friday Favourite

Well, this is a day early and not really a link to an advisory or exploit but everybody has to admire any research done that gets the media all rowdy. I guess its been a few days but there was an advisory out about the PDF file format that *MIGHT* allow remote code execution. Naturally this is a disaster, MSNBC’s story on it is here
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29390385/
Yea, lets install a little fear on user .01beta1. Really MSNBC? Really? Did Adobe REALLY say use other PDF readers? I don’t think so, it is more likely that they said only open PDF’s from trusted sources. I guess with online PDF services such as Google and their own they could have said something but ultimately why would you want to drive some one away from your product.
*SHRUGS*
I’m just glad there is no working exploit code and no clown has figured it out. I guess MSNBC is looking at worst case scenario that there could be some mass pwnage should a user with malicious intent get a hold of it. Worm/Virus, Trojan, Malware or anything else anyone? Well, March 11th is two weeks yesterday so we will see how this pans out. Adobe stocks are currently listed at $17.64 which is a small decrease from a little while ago yet a little higher then opening.

This has now got me thinking about stock prices over vulnerabilities and exploit reports. Perhaps some one has done some research or a mashup here? It would be easy to do a quick mashup if any one is interested.

Add comment February 26th, 2009

Feb 6th 09 Friday Favourite

This week my favourite came in EARLY this morning. Its the Fedora update for xulrunner defined here:
http://secunia.com/Advisories/33841/

Fedora has issue an update for xulrunner. This fixes some vulnerabilities, which can be exploited by malicious, local users to potentially disclose sensitive information, and by malicious people to conduct cross-site scripting attacks, bypass certain security restrictions, disclose sensitive information, or potentially to compromise a user’s system.

and more information about other distributions and implementations here:
http://secunia.com/advisories/33799/

This is not specifically a local exploit as the Fedora advisory tries to lean towards. Multiple errors in the layout engine and javascript can be exploited to cause memory corruptions and potentially execute arbitrary code. Sounds like it could be done remotely if you ask me.

If I did not get this advisory in my mail this morning then I would have had to choose this one: http://www.securiteam.com/windowsntfocus/5PP010UQAK.html but I think that the xulrunner advisory is a better choice for this weeks Friday Favourite!

Add comment February 6th, 2009