New Windows attack can kill firewall

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Robert J. Berger" <rberger () ibd com>
Date: October 31, 2006 1:42:49 PM EST
To: Dewayne Hendricks <dewayne () warpspeed com>, David Farber  
<dave () farber net>
Subject: New Windows attack can kill firewall

[Looks like this only applies if you are sharing your Internet  
connection thru a Windows XP box. I would presume this is rare  - Rob]

Network World's NetFlash Daily News - Special Issue

New Windows attack can kill firewall
By Robert McMillan, IDG News Service, 10/30/06

Hackers have published code that could let an attacker disable
the Windows Firewall on certain Windows XP machines.

The code, which was posted on the Internet early Sunday morning,
could be used to disable the Windows Firewall on a fully patched
Windows XP PC that was running Windows' Internet Connection Service
(ICS). This service allows Windows users to essentially turn their
PC into a router and share their Internet connection with other
computers on the local area network (LAN.) It is typically used
by home and small-business users.

The attacker could send a malicious data packet to another PC
using ICS that would cause the service to terminate. Because
this service is connected to the Windows firewall, this packet
would also cause the firewall to stop working, said Tyler
Reguly, a research engineer at nCircle Network Security Inc.,
who has blogged about the issue.

"Once the firewall is down, where's your line of defense?"
he said Monday, in an interview.

Read the full story here:
http://www.networkworld.com/103006specialnetflash

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Robert J. Berger - Internet Bandwidth Development, LLC.
Voice: 408-882-4755 eFax: +1-408-490-2868
http://www.ibd.com




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