Desktop search: A new attack vector for malware?

["Richard M. Smith" <rms () computerbytesman com>]

Hi,

Has any company looked into the issue of desktop search programs being an
attack vector for malware?  I'm wondering if a booby-trapped document file
can be placed on a system that will cause a buffer error in a desktop search
bot.  The buffer overflow can then be used to install and run malware.  Such
a file can be delivered as an attached file to an email message or
downloaded on the sly to a browser cache.

Also can a desktop search bot be DoSed by having it index an exploding .ZIP
which is modest in size but contains many terrabytes of document files?

Richard

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