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Microsoft Browser Holes Lead to AIM, Dial-Up Attacks

malebolgia   on 28 September 2003 - 04:00 · 32 comments & 1250 views

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Security holes in Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser have been exploited by hackers to hijack AOL instant messaging accounts and force unsuspecting Web surfers to run up massive phone bills, computer experts cautioned on Friday. Some Internet Explorer users are also finding that malicious Web sites are secretly slipping trojan programs onto their computers, which could prove an even more dangerous exploit, said Drew Copley, a research engineer at Aliso Viejo, California-based eEye Digital Security, who discovered the original security vulnerability. Such stealth programs can include keystroke loggers that record everything a person types or software to erase the hard drive, among other things, he said.

Microsoft has released a patch for the original hole, which was reported about a month ago, said Stephen Toulouse, security program manager for Microsoft's Security Response Center. The company is looking into what it says are variations of the original hole that have been discovered since then that the patch does not fix, Toulouse said. "We will release a fix for the variations," he said. Security experts are reporting the variations as new security holes, disclosed within the past three weeks and used for different types of attacks, Copley said. Microsoft and eEye Digital Security said they have issued information for temporary workarounds. In general, the attacks are accomplished by leading Internet Explorer users to a malicious Web site, either by sending an e-mail with a link to the Web page or distributing a link through instant messaging, Copley said.

News source: Reuters


If you already accepted this SMB.exe file, here's how to remove it manually:

  • Go to task manager. (Ctrl+alt+del) and select the Process tab
  • Click admagic.exe then click End Process
  • Go to the C: drive and delete smb.exe and admagic.exe.
  • Go to Windows directory and delete atl.dll, raw32x.dll, sm.dll and uz.exe.
  • Go to the registry (Start > Run > type "regedit" > click ok) and go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicorosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun. Delete the svchost = admagic.exe string value.

Post a comment · Send to friend Comments · There are 32 additional comments
#1 AshMan on 28 Sep 2003 - 04:16
Serves you right for using AOhell.
#2 freakyfriday on 28 Sep 2003 - 04:24
i use trillian so i'm not effected by the AOL thing, and mozilla is my friend, i use it all the time now

Last edited by 33779 on 28 Sep 2003 - 20:51
(1 reply) #3 rezza on 28 Sep 2003 - 04:31
Hmm... is it just me, or are these security breaches in windows and IE getting more and more common? There seems to be a new one hitting the news daily at the moment...
#3.1 gameguy on 28 Sep 2003 - 07:01
actually, they're becoming less common compared to last year.
#4 PureEdit on 28 Sep 2003 - 04:33
ROFL, I just crack up all all the losers who use this stuff and wonder why things like this happen
#5 Kasteo on 28 Sep 2003 - 04:40
That's why I never use IE again since I know Mozilla Firebird.
#6 Banjo on 28 Sep 2003 - 05:05
*Pets Firebird*
(3 replies) #7 djsaad1 on 28 Sep 2003 - 05:05
i am sure mozilla and netscape and what not have a lot of security holes too just no one trys to hack them because the majority of people use IE
#7.1 sttroopers on 28 Sep 2003 - 05:55
QUOTE
majority of people use IE


Not for long.
#7.2 gameguy on 28 Sep 2003 - 07:08
i don't foresee IE losing a large amount of market share anytime soon...
#7.3 Avenger on 29 Sep 2003 - 00:21
Neither do I, especially with it as intertwined as it will be in Longhorn.
(1 reply) #8 Sushubh on 28 Sep 2003 - 05:06
Opera is nice... Mozilla acts weird but is OK. IE, i dont like it...
#8.1 werejag on 28 Sep 2003 - 14:13
this aint about what browser you enjoy. its about a bug that exists even if you used opera.

(11 replies) #9 werejag on 28 Sep 2003 - 06:52
holes holes holes every where. nice to see microsoft at the top of their game or is that the reason why we have the holes?

Last edited by 10354 on 28 Sep 2003 - 07:03
#9.1 JaggedFlame on 28 Sep 2003 - 07:03
http://bugzilla.mozilla.org/buglist.cgi?qu...oop&value0-0-0=

Obviously, human error is why we have holes. Wake up.
#9.2 werejag on 28 Sep 2003 - 07:05
and mozilla is part of the microsoft os?

since ie is a unremovable part of all current microsoft oses. dont you think that geer's paper was right on base?
#9.3 gameguy on 28 Sep 2003 - 07:13
human error IS the reason bugs exist. do you think there's one company out there that would purposely put bugs in their software, only to give out free upgrades later?

and what's your point about IE being integrated into windows?
#9.4 werejag on 28 Sep 2003 - 07:26
the bug would exist even if the windows user used mozilla.

and why do people upgrade oses? becuase of the promise of fewer bugs.
#9.5 JaggedFlame on 28 Sep 2003 - 16:31
QUOTE
and why do people upgrade oses? becuase of the promise of fewer bugs.


There are fewer bugs. What the hell are you complaining about?

And the bug does not get exploited if you're not using IE. This would be a simple realization achieved by reading the article: "In general, the attacks are accomplished by leading Internet Explorer users to a malicious Web site, either by sending an e-mail with a link to the Web page or distributing a link through instant messaging."

So the bug still exists, but you don't use IE, so it doesn't even get exploited. What is your problem?

Last edited by 820 on 28 Sep 2003 - 16:40
#9.6 zivan56 on 28 Sep 2003 - 17:33
Microsofts problems with IE are mostly attributed to ActiveX
#9.7 werejag on 28 Sep 2003 - 21:32
QUOTE (#9.5)
jagged flame says dont use internet explorer

thanks for finally admiting that we should use other browsers
#9.8 JaggedFlame on 28 Sep 2003 - 22:00
LOL that's the best you can do? Make up a quote that I supposedly said, referring to myself in the third person?

Actually, I'm wondering why you're trolling the crap out of this page bitching about an exploit that doesn't even affect you.
#9.9 werejag on 29 Sep 2003 - 06:31
becuase i can!!! its free speech son
#9.10 JaggedFlame on 29 Sep 2003 - 12:39
Whatever floats your boat, loser.
#9.11 werejag on 30 Sep 2003 - 05:14
now now that not nice
(2 replies) #10 PlainLazy on 28 Sep 2003 - 11:03
Opera is the best browser IMO
#10.1 werejag on 28 Sep 2003 - 14:12
this aint about what browser you enjoy. its about a bug that exists even if you used opera.
#10.2 Soleen on 28 Sep 2003 - 16:26
dude stop copy and paste your comment, it looks more like a spam when you have the same comment twice!
And opera is the best browser IMO!
(2 replies) #11 cork1958 on 28 Sep 2003 - 14:28
As long as MS keeps rolling out the fixes, I'll keep sucking the updates up. Until I have to start paying for them anyway. Can almost see that happening someday. There will ALWAYS be some type of bug or security flaw in Windows as long as there are all the sickos out there that don't have anything beter to do but try to exploit them.
#11.1 pHaez on 28 Sep 2003 - 15:46
People aren't sickos because they find security holes. People have the idea that everybody that finds holes are evil and bad, but without these people, you are going to be at the mercy of the "sickos." In reply to the comment about them having nothing better to do, you are aware that people do have jobs doing nothing but that, finding security holes in software? Security is a huge industry, and all the people that complain because there are holes in software, try this. Gather hundreds of people, have them work on one project, which has millions of lines of code, and see how flawless your program is in the end. It is just not possible to write something that massive, and not have holes. Afterall, we are human.
#11.2 Ghostdraconi on 28 Sep 2003 - 16:41
I think cork19558 was probably refferring to the virus writers
#12 mistical on 28 Sep 2003 - 17:26
rofLz...

I know who did the AIM... but if you use 5.2.3281 and before that, you will be fine and not have to worry. For latest AIM and such, you should, not sure about 5.5 beta, but, it takes your password out of the registry, if you store it or not, i guess, something new aim is doing, cause it doesn't appear to be in 5.2.3281 or before... just a little comment i thought i'd give

be careful about the links you click and who is sending you too it...

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