Another Hole Found In The Collander (windows)

[Guest]

A sample program hit the Internet on Wednesday, showing by example how malicious coders could compromise Windows computers by using a flaw in the handling of a widespread graphics format by Microsoft's software.

Security professionals expect the release of the program to herald a new round of attacks by viruses and Trojan horses incorporating the code to circumvent security on Windows computers that have not been updated. The flaw, in the way Microsoft's software processes JPEG graphics, could allow a program to take control of a victim's computer when the user opens a JPEG file.

"Within days, you'll likely see (attacks) using this code as a basis," said Vincent Weafer, senior director of security response for antivirus-software company Symantec. "This is dangerous in a sense that everyone processes JPEG files to some degree."

The program is the latest example of "exploit code," a sample that shows others how to create attack programs that can take advantage of a particular flaw. Such code preceded the Sasser worm by two days and the MSBlast worm by nine days.

The critical flaw the program exploits has to do with how Microsoft's operating systems and other software process the widely used JPEG image format. Because the software giant's Internet Explorer browser is vulnerable, Windows users could fall prey to an attack just by visiting a Web site that has JPEG images.

The flaw affects various versions of at least a dozen Microsoft software applications and operating systems, including Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Office XP, Office 2003, Internet Explorer 6 Service Pack 1, Project, Visio, Picture It and Digital Image Pro. The software giant has a full list of the applications in the advisory on its Web site. Windows XP Service Pack 2, which is still being distributed to many customers' computers, is not vulnerable to the flaw.

Users can download the patches from Microsoft's Windows Update and Office Update servers. In addition, the software giant has made available online programs that scan for vulnerable software and patch it.

Symantec and other antivirus companies have released updates for their software to detect graphics being used in attempts to exploit the flaw.

[DRVTACH]

I just do not get it. After years and years of M$ proplems and so-called patches, Do people really believe that any WinOS above the first win 95 will ever be secure?

The Problem is simple. Any Program that is Part of the Shell can and will be exploited!

The Answer:

Rip ALL Of them Out of The SHELL!

Spend a few Bucks and Stop All M$ Spyware witch is Why They are exploited.

If they are not hooked to the Shell, the worse that can happen is the Program that is attacked would be broken.

google for litepc and Have Fun Ripping windows OS`s apart

Have a Great Day

BILL

[locustfurnace]

Though it is true a program can exploit the MS Windows shell, and those can be harder to detect (shell extensions), this is not going to solve all problems by simply replacing the shell with a stripped down version or just using a shell replacement.
Replacing the shell does offer some benefits. A replacement shell may be less prone to crashing than the MS Windows explorer shell.

Really, the only guarantee one has that their MS Windows machine will never be exploited again is to leave the computer unplugged and switched OFF.

[The Dude]

I love Win98se,its my favorite OS (If its on a good computer that is)