Full Disclosure mailing list archives
RE: [Full-Disc]: Xmas virus on the cards ?
From: John.Airey () rnib org uk
Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2003 14:51:35 -0000
-----Original Message----- From: Anders [mailto:CNQQTROVMYSY () spammotel com] Sent: 18 December 2003 14:02 To: full-disclosure () lists netsys com Subject: Re: [Full-Disc]: [Full-disclosure] Xmas virus on the cards ? Hi,I noticed this article at http://www.vnunet.com/News/1151553 and it looks alarming - however did not find any more details.To me, it sounds like someone has misunderstood the "social engineering" of an URL that seems to lead to a picture... http://www.somedomain.com/picture.jpg Where "picture.jpg" is in fact a folder, not a file, so, a "normal" HTML page is sent to the browser instead. Aka, nothing to care about or filter at all, except trying to keep your browser as safe as possible, to prevent exploits in the HTML-page. Best regards, Anders
Technically all requests for folders should end in /, so the above link should be http://www.somedomain.com/picture.jpg/. For example, Apache will give this: <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//IETF//DTD HTML 2.0//EN"> <html><head> <title>301 Moved Permanently</title> </head><body> <h1>Moved Permanently</h1> <p>The document has moved <a href="http://www.somedomain.com/picture.jpg/">here</a>.</p><hr /> <address>Apache/2.0.40 Server at www.somedomain.com Port 80</address> </body></html> So the browser will then be redirected to the correct page, and for "ease of use", it will not warn you. However, the security they apply to the new page should be against the new link, not the name of the preceding page. Of course, Microsoft have got this kind of thing wrong before. What is worse is that many browsers do not put the trailing slash into the address bar to show you that you are looking at the default page in a folder (eg index.html). - John Airey, BSc (Jt Hons), CNA, RHCE Internet systems support officer, ITCSD, Royal National Institute of the Blind, Bakewell Road, Peterborough PE2 6XU, Tel.: +44 (0) 1733 375299 Fax: +44 (0) 1733 370848 John.Airey () rnib org uk There is more historical evidence for the existence of Jesus Christ than for either Henry VIII or Julius Caesar. - DISCLAIMER: NOTICE: The information contained in this email and any attachments is confidential and may be privileged. If you are not the intended recipient you should not use, disclose, distribute or copy any of the content of it or of any attachment; you are requested to notify the sender immediately of your receipt of the email and then to delete it and any attachments from your system. RNIB endeavours to ensure that emails and any attachments generated by its staff are free from viruses or other contaminants. However, it cannot accept any responsibility for any such which are transmitted. We therefore recommend you scan all attachments. Please note that the statements and views expressed in this email and any attachments are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RNIB. RNIB Registered Charity Number: 226227 Website: http://www.rnib.org.uk _______________________________________________ Full-Disclosure - We believe in it. Charter: http://lists.netsys.com/full-disclosure-charter.html
Current thread:
- RE: [Full-Disc]: Xmas virus on the cards ? John . Airey (Dec 18)
- <Possible follow-ups>
- RE: [Full-Disc]: Xmas virus on the cards ? Rainer Gerhards (Dec 18)
- RE: [Full-Disc]: Xmas virus on the cards ? Rainer Gerhards (Dec 18)