Re[2]: Re: email attack vector just got wider

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-----Original Message-----
From: "Randall M" <randallm () fidmail com>
To: "'Micheal Espinola Jr'" <michealespinola () gmail com>,"'Full Disclosure'" <full-disclosure () lists grok org uk>
Date: Tue, 26 Apr 2005 18:39:51 -0500
Subject: RE: [Full-disclosure] Re: email attack vector just got wider

> Just my 2cents worth. About the only defense is using programs such as
> MailSecurity to block and alert when anything is encrypted or password
> protected.
>  
>  
>
> thank you 
> Randall M 
>
> "If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation
> gone under." 
> - Ronald Reagan 
> _________________________________ 
>
>  
>
>
>   _____  
>
> From: full-disclosure-bounces () lists grok org uk
> [mailto:full-disclosure-bounces () lists grok org uk] On Behalf Of Micheal
> Espinola Jr
> Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2005 11:56 AM
> To: Full Disclosure
> Subject: [Full-disclosure] Re: email attack vector just got wider
>
>
> an update:
>  
> My latest finding is that Adobe PDF's with embedded attachments can be
> bundled and distributed as a Secure Electronic Envelope (eEnvelope).
> eEnvelopes are designed to protect documents in transit with the use of
> encryption. 
>  
> Password protected .ZIP's are typically addressed at the SMTP gateway by AV
> software with the option to strip or reject compressed file attachments that
> are not readily scan-able (due to the password protection, etc). 
>  
> Although Adobe recommends enabling scanning all file types in order to scan
> a PDF (and ass/u/me'ing its embedded contents as well), an AV scanner is not
> currently going to be able to scan this encrypted content until the content
> has been rendered/unencrypted at the desktop. 
>  
> While many AV vendors have factored certain compressed archive standards
> into their products, I have seen no indication that this is being addressed
> for this relatively new and already widely deployed product.
>  
> Call me a worry-wort, but I foresee this is the next "in" for malware
> distribution.
>
>  
>
> On 4/25/05, Micheal Espinola Jr <michealespinola () gmail com> wrote: 
>
> Perhaps not "just".  My apologies for those that are aware of this, but it
> seems Adobe 6 also had this capability - although many people have been
> unaware of this.  I recently upgrade from 5 to 7, so I missed this potential
> issue from the get-go. 
>  
> Someone pointed out to me that Symantec does have a bulletin stating that by
> setting your AV to "scan all files" you can detect a virus inside a file
> embedded into a PDF.
>  
> Unfortunately, this does not address the blocking of certain attachments
> outright.
>
>  
>
> On 4/25/05, Micheal Espinola Jr <michealespinola () gmail com
> <mailto:michealespinola () gmail com> > wrote: 
>
> It seems most people I know haven't noticed that the new version of Adobe
> Acrobat (7) now allows for embedded/attached documents.
>  
> Since PDF's have generally been considered a safe document format and are
> typically not blocked by content/attachment scanners, this now opens an
> email-based attack vector that anti-virus providers [to the best of my
> knowledge] are not currently addressing. 
>  
> Many thanks to Adobe for creating another issue for us to deal with, and
> especially for not having the forethought to coordinate with anti-virus
> vendors to prepare for assuredly future exploitation of the technology. 
>
>
> -- 
> ME2
>
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> my photos: <  <http://mespinola.blogspot.com/>
> http://mespinola.blogspot.com/> 
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> -- 
> ME2
>
> my home: <  <http://www.santeriasys.net/> http://www.santeriasys.net/>
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> ME2
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> my home: <http://www.santeriasys.net/>
> my photos: <http://mespinola.blogspot.com/> 
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