New Exploit - should LnS cry out??

Windows XP Explorer Executes Arbitrary Code in Folders
   
SecurityTracker Alert ID: 1008843    
CVE Reference: GENERIC-MAP-NOMATCH (Links to External Site)    
Date: Jan 25 2004
   
Impact: Execution of arbitrary code via network, User access via network
   
Exploit Included: Yes
   
Version(s): Windows XP Explorer
   
Description: A vulnerability was reported in Microsoft Windows XP in Windows Explorer. A remote user can create a folder that, when viewed by the target user, will execute arbitrary code on the target user's system.

http-equiv reported that a remote user can create a specially crafted 'folder' that includes HTML scripting code and a Windows executable ('.exe' file) containing arbitary code. When a target user attempts to view the contents of the 'folder' (which may be considered an ostensibly safe task by many users), the arbitrary code will be automatically executed on the target user's computer by Windows Explorer. The code will run with the privileges of the target user.

If the 'folder' is an HTML-based file, Windows Explorer (on XP) will execute the file when viewed, extracted, or opened. The scripting code can reference the executable contained in the 'folder', causing the executable to run.

A demonstration exploit is available at:

http://www.malware.com/my.pics.zip
   
Impact: A remote user can cause arbitrary code to be executed on the target user's system.
   
Solution: No solution was available at the time of this entry.
   
Vendor URL: www.microsoft.com/technet/security/ (Links to External Site)
   
Cause: State error
   
Underlying OS: Windows (XP)
   
Reported By: "http-equiv@excite.com" <1@malware.com>
   
Message History: None.

 

If it is the browser which is mainly exploited so LnS will say nothing as all firewalls.
If the exploit relies more on explorer.exe then i think LnS will warn you that
explorer tries to access the internet.

It has always be advised if possible to block explorer.exe to access the network.

 

Interesting but this malware has no effect what so ever has it can't find Internet Explorer wich is funny... Internet Explorer does not exist on this system mouahaha

 

Microsoft is so stupid, it makes me wonder sometimes...

Here's the deal:

Any file with the extension .folder is reguarded as a directory/folder (the real kind)

1. Thus, My Pics.folder is like a folder.

2. By default, Windows hides file extensions, so it 'looks' like a directory

3. MS also allows to open up HTML directly into explorer by overintegration with IE. MS also allows, though a well documented exploit, a way to execute local exes with html.

4. The html contained in this executes an exe contained within it base64 encoded.

In essence, 4 stupid things leads to exploit possibilites.

Now, the fix:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.Folder

This is the registry key that allows .Folder files to be treated as folders. Its completely unrelated to how explorer seems to treat regular directories. I see no point to it.....

Also, multiple extensions can be associated with the same actions, and .Folder points to the same action as a real folder/directory.

You can remove the (Default) key which is "Folder" from HKCR\.Folder

the exploit is somewhat nullified at this point, attempts to open the .folder extension file will result in an error message saying that windows doesn't know how to open the file.