Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • 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
Subscribe
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • 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
    Subscribe
    Home Cybersecurity
    • Cybersecurity

    Redirect to SMB Attack Can Exploit Windows Users, Report Finds

    Written by

    Sean Michael Kerner
    Published April 13, 2015
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      Security vendor Cylance today is warning of a potential vulnerability that enables an attacker to use the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol to exploit Windows users and applications. Microsoft, however, is downplaying the risk and doesn’t entirely agree with Cylance’s assessment of the issue.

      Cylance worked with CERT to properly disclose and report the flaw to Microsoft and other impacted application vendors.

      “Many software products use HTTP requests for various features such as software update checking,” CERT warns in its advisory. “A malicious user can intercept such requests (such as with a MITM proxy) and use HTTP Redirect to redirect the victim [to] a malicious SMB server.”

      CERT notes in its advisory that it is unaware of a complete solution to the problem, though there are workarounds that limit risk.

      Microsoft doesn’t consider the Redirect to SMB issue to be a new risk. “We don’t agree with Cylance’s claims of a new attack type,” a Microsoft spokesperson wrote in an email to eWEEK. “Several factors would need to come together for this type of cyber attack to work, such as success in luring a person to enter information into a fake website. We encourage people to avoid opening links in emails from senders that they don’t recognize or visiting unsecure sites.”

      Brian Wallace, senior researcher at Cylance, does consider the Redirect to SMB to be a big issue. The Redirect to SMB attack builds on an attack first discussed in 1997 that could enable an attacker to click on a link that would force the user to connect to a remote SMB server, he said.

      “By default, when Windows connects out to an SMB Windows file server, Window will attempt to authenticate,” Wallace told eWEEK. “This new Redirect to SMB issue builds on that by allowing applications that connect over HTTP to be redirected to SMB that could potentially be malicious.”

      In the original 1997 issue, according to Wallace, Internet Explorer was required to be used to view a Web page that might then lead the user to a malicious SMB server. With the Redirect to SMB attack, application updating mechanisms are also at risk. In some limited testing, Wallace found that at least 30 applications were potentially vulnerable to a Redirect to SMB attack, including the Apple updater for iTunes and Adobe’s updater for Reader.

      SMB Windows file server capabilities can also be enabled on non-Windows systems. The open-source Samba file server runs SMB and could potentially be used in some form of Redirect to SMB attack. That said, Wallace explained that a Linux desktop user connecting to a Samba server would not be at risk, while a Windows desktop user connecting to Samba would be. The difference is how tightly coupled SMB services are within the operating system.

      “Microsoft has included SMB in the core of Windows networking, while SMB is not directly integrated into the Linux kernel,” he said.

      Wallace did say there are a few simple steps users can take to reduce the risk of being exploited in a Redirect to SMB attack. The simplest step is to block TCP port 139 and 445 from going outside of the network.

      “There are also risks inside of the network, but allowing those two ports outbound on a network is dangerous,” he said.

      Sean Michael Kerner is a senior editor at eWEEK and InternetNews.com. Follow him on Twitter @TechJournalist.

      Sean Michael Kerner
      Sean Michael Kerner
      Sean Michael Kerner is an Internet consultant, strategist, and writer for several leading IT business web sites.

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Artificial Intelligence

      9 Best AI 3D Generators You Need...

      Sam Rinko - June 25, 2024 0
      AI 3D Generators are powerful tools for many different industries. Discover the best AI 3D Generators, and learn which is best for your specific use case.
      Read more
      Cloud

      RingCentral Expands Its Collaboration Platform

      Zeus Kerravala - November 22, 2023 0
      RingCentral adds AI-enabled contact center and hybrid event products to its suite of collaboration services.
      Read more
      Artificial Intelligence

      8 Best AI Data Analytics Software &...

      Aminu Abdullahi - January 18, 2024 0
      Learn the top AI data analytics software to use. Compare AI data analytics solutions & features to make the best choice for your business.
      Read more
      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
      Video

      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
      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.
      © 2024 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.