Re: Microsoft - Personal Web Server Extended UNICODE Directory Tr aversal Vulnerability

[Shane Youhouse <Shane.Youhouse () GOODMANMFG COM>]

I find this methodology from Microsoft to be pretty brazen.


Especially when one of the "features" of the new operating systems
incorporating
the personal web server was just that...  You could host a website for you
and your
friends on your high speed home network connection, without having to
upgrade
to the more expensive NT / Win2K package.

Seems to me this is a simple way for Microsoft to cop out on a security
issue.  Or, in
other words, an out and out pass the buck.

If it was TRULY not intended for use on the internet, why would MS enable it
on all
IP addresses?

Either fix the problem, or at least own up to it Microsoft.  You provided a
"feature"
in a "paid for" package that has a security flaw.  Taking the stance of
"Well, we gave
it to you, but it isn't meant to be used" is just plain bovine fecal matter.




Toll_Free










-----Original Message-----
From: Microsoft Security Response Center [mailto:secure () MICROSOFT COM]
Sent: Monday, March 19, 2001 2:18 PM
To: BUGTRAQ () SECURITYFOCUS COM
Subject: Re: Microsoft - Personal Web Server Extended UNICODE Directory
Traversal Vulnerability


Hi All -

Personal Web Server is, of course, not intended to host web sites on the
Internet.  It's only intended to be used in protected environments such
as home networks and the like.  If you're hosting an Internet site, IIS
is the appropriate product to use.  Regards,

Scott Culp
Security Program Manager
Microsoft Security Response Center

-----Original Message-----
From: Dinos Pastos [mailto:dinopio () LINUX COM CY]
Sent: Sunday, March 18, 2001 2:16 AM
To: BUGTRAQ () SECURITYFOCUS COM
Subject: Microsoft - Personal Web Server Extended UNICODE Directory
Traversal Vulnerability


Hi all...

Just wanted to point out that while testing my Default installation of
Windows 98 running Microsoft Personal Web Server that came with the
Windows98 SE CD I discovered that the famous IIS 4/5 Unicode Directory
Traversal Vulnerability applies also to this Server just as bad as in
IIS.

The exploit method is the same :
http://PWS-server/scripts/..%c1%9c../windows/notepad.exe

I wont go in to detail on how to exploit a Windows machine... (Sorry
script kiddies)...

Patches: Dunno.
Quickfixes: Use Linux.

Dinos Pastos - dinopio () linux com cy
Security Advisor