vulnerability scanner

Essential out-of-cycle IE security update now available

When Secunia calls a Windows security update “extremely critical” you know a serious vulnerability is being patched. The Windows security community has been abuzz since last week when a number of remote code execution vulnerabilities originally thought limited only to IE 7 turned out to affect other IE versions, and to involve general XML vulnerabilities as well. For more information on the update see “Microsoft Security Advisory (961051) Vulnerability in Internet Explorer Could Allow Remote Code Execution” and “Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-078 - Critical.”

Security Bulletin MS08-078 specifically mentions IE 5, 6, and 7, as well as Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Vista on the desktop front, plus Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008, in both 32- and 64-bit versions (where applicable). This update is also associated with Pointer Reference Memory Corruption Vulnerability - CVE-2008-4844 from the Common Vulnerability and Exploits database.

The nature of the vulnerability is called “Remote Code Execution” which essentially means that an attacker can take over a system and run any code he or she wishes to at a very high level of privilege. Please visit Windows Update and download this security fix for testing and evaluation as soon as possible. Zero-day exploits have already been reported, and it is regarded as an active and hostile threat.

A Somewhat Hidden Secunia Benefit

Last week I blogged about Danish information security firm Secunia’s outstanding Network Software Inspector. In that capsule summary I neglected to mention that Secunia sends out e-mail updates to all registered users any time the rules base gets updated.

This turns out to have significant value, of course, because some updates are more important than others–Microsoft Security Updates are probably the best example, especially those pushed to Windows Update outside the usual Patch Tuesday cycle. In this case, my reminder came in the form of an observation that Sun had released a new set of Java and Java Runtime Executable (JRE) updates, which addressed some reasonably serious (Category 4) vulnerabilities from the previously-current version.

This was all the information I need to go out and grab the updates for the various Vista and XP machines that I work on every day. In an enterprise setting, the same email can trigger the download-test-push cycle that’s more typical for updates in such environments. Either way, timely access to this kind of information is absolutely invaluable, and lets us all respond more quickly as and when known vulnerabilities are patched or fixed.

The Secunia vulnerability scanning toolset is a good one, and this real-time e-mail update service only makes it better. I hope you’ll check it out, and try it out, in your own environments.

–Ed–

Secunia Network Inspector

I’ve been working in some depth around Windows security topics since 1997, when I began teaching Windows hardening classes at Interop with my colleague and co-author James Michael Stewart. In 2003, I started researching malware topics and tools, a quest that eventually led to my 2005 book “Fighting Spyware, Viruses, and Malware” for PC Magazine Press. Along that path, I became familiar with Swedish infosec firm Secunia, whose many threat and vulnerability warnings, proof of concept exploits, and timely malware information always proved accurate and reliable.

Yesterday, Secunia released a final version (1.0.0.1) of its Personal Security Inspector, a free, single-shot vulnerability scanner that examines Windows PCs running Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Vista to make sure that Windows Updates are current and correct, and that checks installed applications to make sure they are also patched and up-to-date. The tool flags unpatched code, and end-of-life programs that are no longer being updated, to help individuals update or replace potential sources of vulnerability on their desktops.

For enterprise use, Secunia also makes a Network Software Inspector (NSI, currently at version 2.0) available to companies and organizations that want to perform similar scans on the PCs on their networks. At 20 Euros per machine per year (about $25.68 at today’s exchange rates), it’s not too different from what the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) can do for Windows and MS apps. But when you add its substantial (over 7,000 programs) database of applications with security status, and its built-in, easy-to-use, and intelligible remediation advice, NSI comes out way ahead at a very reasonable per-user cost (contact Secunia sales for purchases of over 50 seats, where discounts begin to kick in).

If you’re interested in trying out this outstanding tool, you can download a 30-day evaluation copy at no charge. It’s definitely worth digging into further for those companies or organizations seeking to deploy a good vulnerability scanner, or those interested in replacing their current scanner with something better and more capable.

On a personal note, let me wish all my readers and their families a happy holiday, with plenty of quality leisure time and good eats. I’m off shortly to pick up a brined Kosher turkey, and expect wonderful results when it emerges from the oven tomorrow afternoon.

Best wishes,
–Ed–