Re: WebEx Downloader Plug-in Multiple Vulnerabilities + rant

[Mark Rowe <mark.rowe () pentest co uk>]

Hi all,

I've spoken with Mark Litchfield this week and I just want to clarify
that in no way did Skype divulge any information imparted to them to
Pentest Limited or to our knowledge any one else regarding Mark's
discoveries. It was purely coincidence that one of the vulnerabilities
we reported to Skype was the same as discovered by Mark.

I did ask Mark to post to this list to clear this up but I guess he is
too busy.

I like conspiracy theories as much as the next person but this
definitely isn't an X-file :)

Cheers,
Mark.

Mark Litchfield wrote:

> All these vulnerabilities were reported to WebEx by NGS Software back on
> the 24th February 2005 along with some other issues.
>
> The current Director of the X-Force new about these issues as at the
> time of their discovery, he worked with NGS.
>
> Seeing as I'm the subject, here is another example whereby I found a bug
> (in Skype) except Pentest-Limited were credited with it's discovery -
> http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/10/25/skype_vuln/  An extract from an
> email below from Kurt Sauer (Security Operations / Skype Technologies),
> shows that Mark Rowe of Pentest Ltd for some unknown reason had access
> to my email sent to Kurt.
>
> In reviewing our mail archives, I see that you *DID* report the vuln (the
> VCARD aspect) to us -- to ME, directly -- before Mark Rowe did.  However, I
> (gulp) mishandled the e-mail.
>
> As you surmised, it appears that Mark Rowe read that mail and found another
> instantiation of the same bug, namely the handling of the command-line
> parameters.
>
> Completely my fault on that.  It will take one "push" cycle (typically less
> than a day) to get a correction posted, but I will both correct our
> announcement and also redistribute it with corrected attribution.
>
> I should have asked you to CC security () skype net on the actual vuln report,
> because mail sent to that address is read by more than just me.
>
> Importantly, I am going to hire a dedicated incident manager (as fast as
> our hiring practices will allow) so that there is someone spending full
> workdays just handing inbound messages on this topic.
>
>
> Could never be bothered before to make an issue of it.  But to sit on a
> large number of flaws in a vendors software product for 498 days and see
> other companies credited is a tad annoying :)
>
> All the best
>
> Mark Litchfield
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Litchfield" <>
> To: "Mark Litchfield" <mark () ngssoftware com>
> Sent: Friday, July 07, 2006 4:12 PM
> Subject: Fw: [SA20956] WebEx Downloader Plug-in Multiple Vulnerabilities
>
>
> > You're not credited - are any of these yours?
> >
> > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Secunia Security Advisories"
> > <sec-adv () secunia com>
> > To: <>
> > Sent: Friday, July 07, 2006 12:32 PM
> > Subject: [SA20956] WebEx Downloader Plug-in Multiple Vulnerabilities
> >
> >
> > > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> > >
> > > Reverse Engineer Wanted
> > >
> > > Secunia offers a Security Specialist position with emphasis on
> > > reverse engineering of software and exploit code, auditing of
> > > source code, and analysis of vulnerability reports.
> > >
> > > http://secunia.com/secunia_security_specialist/
> > >
> > > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> > >
> > > TITLE:
> > > WebEx Downloader Plug-in Multiple Vulnerabilities
> > >
> > > SECUNIA ADVISORY ID:
> > > SA20956
> > >
> > > VERIFY ADVISORY:
> > > http://secunia.com/advisories/20956/
> > >
> > > CRITICAL:
> > > Highly critical
> > >
> > > IMPACT:
> > > System access
> > >
> > > WHERE:
> > > From remote
> > >
> > > SOFTWARE:
> > > WebEx Downloader plug-in 2.x
> > > http://secunia.com/product/10916/
> > >
> > > DESCRIPTION:
> > > Some vulnerabilities have been reported in WebEx Downloader plug-in,
> > > which can be exploited by malicious people to compromise a user's
> > > system.
> > >
> > > 1) An error exists in the ActiveX and Java versions of the WebEx
> > > Downloader plug-in where the source of downloaded components is not
> > > properly verified. This can be exploited to install malicious
> > > components on a user's system.
> > >
> > > Successful exploitation allows execution of arbitrary code, but
> > > requires that the user e.g. is tricked into visiting a malicious web
> > > site.
> > >
> > > The vulnerability has been reported in version 2.0.0.7. Other
> > > versions may also be affected.
> > >
> > > 2) Some unspecified boundary errors in an included ActiveX control
> > > can be exploited to cause a buffer overflow.
> > >
> > > Successful exploitation may allow execution of arbitrary code.
> > >
> > > SOLUTION:
> > > Apply update.
> > > http://www.webex.com/go/downloadSP30
> > >
> > > PROVIDED AND/OR DISCOVERED BY:
> > > 1) Discovered by an anonymous person and reported via ZDI.
> > > 1-2) David Dewey and Mark Dowd, ISS X-Force.
> > >
> > > ORIGINAL ADVISORY:
> > > WebEx Communications:
> > > http://www.webex.com/lp/security/ActiveAdv.html?TrackID=123456
> > >
> > > Zero Day Initiative:
> > > http://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-06-021.html
> > >
> > > ISS X-Force:
> > > http://xforce.iss.net/xforce/alerts/id/226
> > >
> > > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> > >
> > > About:
> > > This Advisory was delivered by Secunia as a free service to help
> > > everybody keeping their systems up to date against the latest
> > > vulnerabilities.
> > >
> > > Subscribe:
> > > http://secunia.com/secunia_security_advisories/
> > >
> > > Definitions: (Criticality, Where etc.)
> > > http://secunia.com/about_secunia_advisories/
> > >
> > >
> > > Please Note:
> > > Secunia recommends that you verify all advisories you receive by
> > > clicking the link.
> > > Secunia NEVER sends attached files with advisories.
> > > Secunia does not advise people to install third party patches, only
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> > >
> > > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> > >
> > > Unsubscribe: Secunia Security Advisories
> > > http://secunia.com/sec_adv_unsubscribe/?email=davidl%40ngssoftware.com
> > >
> > > ----------------------------------------------------------------------

-- 
Mark Rowe
IT Security Consultant
Pentest Limited

Office: +44 (0) 161 233 0100
Fax:    +44 (0) 161 233 0990
Mobile:    +44 (0) 7813 803 929

http://www.pentest.co.uk/legal.shtml#emailpolicy

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