Re: ICQ remote buffer overflow vulnerability

["Nick FitzGerald" <nick () virus-l demon co uk>]

Daniel Tan <datan () seas upenn edu> wrote:

> Until AOL announces a patch/workaround, it is highly recommended to
> restrict receiving of events (other than normal messages) to
> contacts you know.

This is just like the old, and equally bogus, "advice" for preventing 
being hit by mass mailing viruses -- "don't open attachments from 
people you don't know".  The implication taken from such advice is 
that attachments from people you do know are necessarily "safe".

Better advice is to implement a method that prevents receipt of such 
requests (or upgrade to the version thought unaffected by the bug).


-- 
Nick FitzGerald
Computer Virus Consulting Ltd.
Ph/FAX: +64 3 3529854