Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Cybersecurity
    • Cybersecurity

    Exploit Out for Critical Microsoft Agent Flaw

    By
    Lisa Vaas
    -
    September 13, 2007
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      An exploit that attacks a critical Microsoft Agent vulnerability was published less than 24 hours after Microsoft released a relevant security advisory in its Sept. 11 Patch Tuesday set of releases.

      The security advisory for Microsoft Agent, MS07-051, was the only critical release out of four security advisories. It addresses a vulnerability whereby the Microsoft Agent—a set of software services for developers to enhance the user interface of Web-based applications—can get hoodwinked by a malicious URL and can then be used to take over a targeted system without ever appearing to the user.

      Microsoft Agent (agentsvr.exe) is prone to the stack-based buffer-overflow vulnerability because it fails to adequately bound check user-supplied data. The issue occurs when the “agentdpv.dll” ActiveX control processes maliciously craft URLs, resulting in memory corruption.

      If the exploit succeeds, the attacker gains system control. If it fails, a denial-of-service occurs.

      Symantec has exploit code available to members of its Immunity Partners Program.

      Click here to read more about a tool for rapidly writing flaw exploits.

      Proof-of-concept code is also available here.

      For users who cant apply the patch straight away, Symantec and Microsoft recommend the typical mitigation strategies when dealing with an exploit that requires user interaction:

      Run software as a non-privileged user with minimal access rights, and always run non-administrative software as an unprivileged user with minimal access rights. Also, stay away from links coming from strangers or untrustworthy sources.

      Keep out of sites that have questionable integrity. Set browser security to disable execution of script code or active content. Dont open e-mail from strangers or those whom you dont trust, given that attackers could exploit the vulnerability through HTML e-mail.

      As a workaround, Symantec suggests setting the kill bit for the following CLSIDs to prevent instantiation of malicious Microsoft Agent ActiveX controls:

      D45FD31B-5C6E-11D1-9EC1-00C04FD7081F
      F5BE8BD2-7DE6-11D0-91FE-00C04FD701A5
      4BAC124B-78C8-11D1-B9A8-00C04FD97575
      D45FD31D-5C6E-11D1-9EC1-00C04FD7081F
      D45FD31E-5C6E-11D1-9EC1-00C04FD7081F

      Microsoft describes how to disable ActiveX controls here. Microsoft also suggests unregistering “AgentSvr.exe” as a workaround.

      Check out eWEEK.coms Security Center for the latest security news, reviews and analysis. And for insights on security coverage around the Web, take a look at eWEEKs Security Watch blog.

      Lisa Vaas
      Lisa Vaas is News Editor/Operations for eWEEK.com and also serves as editor of the Database topic center. Since 1995, she has also been a Webcast news show anchorperson and a reporter covering the IT industry. She has focused on customer relationship management technology, IT salaries and careers, effects of the H1-B visa on the technology workforce, wireless technology, security, and, most recently, databases and the technologies that touch upon them. Her articles have appeared in eWEEK's print edition, on eWEEK.com, and in the startup IT magazine PC Connection. Prior to becoming a journalist, Vaas experienced an array of eye-opening careers, including driving a cab in Boston, photographing cranky babies in shopping malls, selling cameras, typography and computer training. She stopped a hair short of finishing an M.A. in English at the University of Massachusetts in Boston. She earned a B.S. in Communications from Emerson College. She runs two open-mic reading series in Boston and currently keeps bees in her home in Mashpee, Mass.
      Get the Free Newsletter!
      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis
      This email address is invalid.
      Get the Free Newsletter!
      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis
      This email address is invalid.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Latest News

      Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

      James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
      I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
      Read more
      Applications

      Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

      James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
      I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
      Read more
      Applications

      Kyndryl’s Nicolas Sekkaki on Handling AI and...

      James Maguire - November 9, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nicolas Sekkaki, Group Practice Leader for Applications, Data and AI at Kyndryl, about how companies can boost both their AI and...
      Read more
      Cloud

      IGEL CEO Jed Ayres on Edge and...

      James Maguire - June 14, 2022 0
      I spoke with Jed Ayres, CEO of IGEL, about the endpoint sector, and an open source OS for the cloud; we also spoke about...
      Read more
      IT Management

      Intuit’s Nhung Ho on AI for the...

      James Maguire - May 13, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nhung Ho, Vice President of AI at Intuit, about adoption of AI in the small and medium-sized business market, and how...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2022 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×