Jul -- Computers and Technology: 17-year-old MS security vulnerability found

Gabu

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Posted on 01-20-10 09:58:20 PM

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Hey, at least 17 years of this being unknown isn't that bad at all by Microsoft's standards.

Still, a pretty unnerving hole.

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devin

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Posted on 01-20-10 10:01:20 PM

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Hey, finally, an excuse for businesses to quit using crappy outdated Turbo Pascal programs in 2010.

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Posted on 01-20-10 10:05:12 PM

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Given that this seems to have just been a compatibility layer that's been carried over, it's pretty impressive it took this long for it to get found... and even then, something like that probably stopped being of major importance long ago, so it's not too surprising that it still exists.

Especially given the fix for it.

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Posted on 01-20-10 10:07:29 PM

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One good thing about having 64-bit Windows 7?

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Lyskar
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Posted on 01-21-10 12:36:42 AM

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Windows XP x64 ftw!

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Ctenophorae

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Posted on 01-21-10 01:29:53 AM

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Originally posted by article
Internet Explorer

Phew, scared me for a second!

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Peardian

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Posted on 01-21-10 01:33:07 AM (last edited by Peardian at 01-20-10 10:33 PM)

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Originally posted by Demon King of Crabmeat
Phew, scared me for a second!

That's a different hole they found. This one concerns the Virtual DOS Machine.

It's also worth mentioning that this hole probably won't affect many home users.

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Posted on 01-21-10 04:49:49 AM

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Open mouth, insert foot. I'm battling quite the trojan right now, it won't let me open ANY of my virus scanners or look for answers, it'll just open a page called "proto.com" or something like that.

The offender's name is winhlp64.exe and I can't seem to get rid of the bugger! Any suggestions?

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Bagel

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Posted on 01-21-10 03:27:32 PM

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Any suggestions?

Backup. Format. Reinstall Windows. Get Firefox (or Opera or something) and NoScript (or turn page scripting off using something else.) Makes me sound a little like a condescending jerk to say this ... but there is no good reason to use IE at all except to download another browser. The most common source of infections is in ads on questionable sites; if you have scripting turned on they can do all sorts of nasty things if left unchecked. And also ... use common sense.

As to the vulnerability ... why has the 16-bit layer continued to be standard for all this time? Why not make it an optional install or something? You'd think that Microsoft would have learned to stop recycling old code by now. How many users still run 16-bit applications? :|

At least there's that registry fix, but an average user isn't going to want to fiddle with that. I don't see how MS could have debated for THIS long about how to fix the problem ... by now you'd think they'd have been able to release an update that removes the 16-bit layer and then makes it an optional install or something, or even look at the old code and patch the hole.

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Ctenophorae

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Posted on 01-22-10 02:17:10 AM

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Gotcha, bitch! I finally nailed the fucker today, I pretty much had to rename Malwarebytes to suckitbitch.exe just to get it to work but after I did that it was history. Also, I ended up getting this little asswipe through Firefox, just minding my own business on Facebook. A popup came up and just decided to wreak havoc (it got past my popup blocker!) but the nightmare is finally over.

I also tried to do a system restore but the little bugger interfered with that as well! I'm just glad that I don't have to worry about it anymore.

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Posted on 01-22-10 03:52:54 AM

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Lain's post №499

Good thing for x64 OSes.

But still, 17 years... that's almost as old as 3.1, and about as old as Windows 95 isn't it?

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Ctenophorae

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Posted on 01-22-10 04:18:37 AM

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Originally posted by Lain
Good thing for x64 OSes.
But still, 17 years... that's almost as old as 3.1, and about as old as Windows 95 isn't it?

I know, I feel old too!

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Lyskar
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Posted on 01-22-10 07:10:25 AM

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I was playin' Sonic 2 back 17 years ago. Well, 16 years ago.

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Posted on 02-09-10 04:50:27 PM

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17 years ago I was learning how to walk and all that lol.

Ninji

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Posted on 02-09-10 05:54:40 PM

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17 years ago I didn't exist

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Posted on 02-09-10 07:33:45 PM

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This dates back to NT 3.1 if I remember right..

Security through obscurity.. not always the best method.

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Shadic
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Posted on 02-10-10 05:40:27 AM

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Originally posted by Treeki
17 years ago I didn't exist

You're 15? Jesus.

And has this vulnerability been being USED for 17 years? If not, I don't see the issue.

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Sukasa

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Posted on 02-10-10 02:00:31 PM

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	Nobody knew about it. The problem is, if any ne'er-do-wells found this, they would have basically had free run over computers for a long while, because the vulnerability was so obscure and dangerous. ____________________ <@Bitmap> Be completely humble and gentle; <@Bitmap> And tell them to shut the fuck up

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Posted on 02-18-10 05:40:46 AM

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02-18-10 12:40:46 AM
Post #2822

Microsoft has now confirmed the privilege escalation hole in Windows. The company says that it wants to complete its investigation of the vulnerability and will then decide whether, how and when to close it.

It's always a laugh to read about these holes that have existed since very old versions (WMF hole came all the way from Windows 3.1), considering they claimed to be doing a total rewrite and/or audit of everything with XP... and again with Vista...

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