Microsoft plugs eight holes in its Java software

Zardon · Dec 12, 2002, 07:35 PM

A serious security flaw in Microsoft Corp.'s virtual machine (VM) found on most Windows PCs could allow an attacker to take over a user's system, Microsoft warned late Wednesday. A fixed version of the software is available.

Microsoft's VM is used for running Java applications on Windows PCs and comes with most Windows and Internet Explorer versions. All builds up to and including build 5.0.3805 are affected by eight security flaws, six of which pose a "low" or "moderate" risk to users, Microsoft said in security bulletin MS02-069. [/url]http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS02-069.asp[/url]

Two vulnerabilities, however, are serious. Exploiting a "critical" flaw in a security feature of the VM could allow an attacker to gain control over a user's system, while another "important" flaw could be exploited to trick the VM into giving an attacker read access to files on a user's PC and network drives, Microsoft said.

Under Microsoft's security rating system, changed last month, critical vulnerabilities are those that could be exploited to allow malicious Internet worms to spread without user action. Important are those vulnerabilities that could expose user data or threaten system resources.

An attacker could exploit the VM flaws by luring a user to an especially coded Web page or sending that page via HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) e-mail, Microsoft said. The Redmond, Washington, company urges users to upgrade to VM build 3809, which is available from the Windows Update Web site.

Users can check if and what version of Microsoft's VM is installed by opening a command box and entering "jview." VM is installed when a program runs. The version number appears in the topmost line.

Also on Wednesday, Microsoft issued two other security bulletins warning of issues with various Windows versions.

Deemed "important" is a privilege elevation vulnerability in Windows NT 4.0, Windows NT 4.0 Terminal Server Edition, Windows 2000 and Windows XP. A malicious user could gain administrative privileges on a system by exploiting the flaw which lies in a Windows function, Microsoft said in security bulletin MS02-071. http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sec...n/MS02-071.asp.

A third Microsoft bulletin, MS02-070, details a "moderate" risk vulnerability in Windows 2000 and Windows XP without Service Pack 1 installed. An attacker could change group policy data received by client systems by silently disabling the signing of Server Message Block (SMB) packets, Microsoft said. http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sec...n/MS02-070.asp Joris Evers

nForcer · Dec 12, 2002, 11:55 PM

Sucks that MS is plaqued with problems, but atleast they are fixing them.

DriveEuro · Dec 13, 2002, 01:12 AM

Haven't they always been plagued. No wonder you really never here anything about Macs or Linux. Although few companies run on these systems so there is little said about them. I so want to ditch MS but Linux still can't do it all.

DallasStar · Dec 13, 2002, 05:03 AM

why can't they just use java runtime environment? what exactly is the purpose of virtual machine? it just creates bugs and fulfils a purpose that can be fulfilled by the less buggy jre. i know vm is based off of jre, but why modify it at all? i really don't understand the logic behind all of this.

DriveEuro · Dec 13, 2002, 05:33 AM

MS doesn't have logic. Aimless and bored people. They have to do something to keep themselves occupied.

nForcer · Dec 13, 2002, 06:37 AM

Well they obviously get paid more than us, and nothing is perfect, so I'll take flawed logic since its the only logic worth using. :P

Dec 12, 2002, 07:35 PM	#1
Zardon DriverHeaven Founder Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 32,480 Rep Power: 179	Microsoft plugs eight holes in its Java software A serious security flaw in Microsoft Corp.'s virtual machine (VM) found on most Windows PCs could allow an attacker to take over a user's system, Microsoft warned late Wednesday. A fixed version of the software is available. Microsoft's VM is used for running Java applications on Windows PCs and comes with most Windows and Internet Explorer versions. All builds up to and including build 5.0.3805 are affected by eight security flaws, six of which pose a "low" or "moderate" risk to users, Microsoft said in security bulletin MS02-069. [/url]http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS02-069.asp[/url] Two vulnerabilities, however, are serious. Exploiting a "critical" flaw in a security feature of the VM could allow an attacker to gain control over a user's system, while another "important" flaw could be exploited to trick the VM into giving an attacker read access to files on a user's PC and network drives, Microsoft said. Under Microsoft's security rating system, changed last month, critical vulnerabilities are those that could be exploited to allow malicious Internet worms to spread without user action. Important are those vulnerabilities that could expose user data or threaten system resources. An attacker could exploit the VM flaws by luring a user to an especially coded Web page or sending that page via HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) e-mail, Microsoft said. The Redmond, Washington, company urges users to upgrade to VM build 3809, which is available from the Windows Update Web site. Users can check if and what version of Microsoft's VM is installed by opening a command box and entering "jview." VM is installed when a program runs. The version number appears in the topmost line. Also on Wednesday, Microsoft issued two other security bulletins warning of issues with various Windows versions. Deemed "important" is a privilege elevation vulnerability in Windows NT 4.0, Windows NT 4.0 Terminal Server Edition, Windows 2000 and Windows XP. A malicious user could gain administrative privileges on a system by exploiting the flaw which lies in a Windows function, Microsoft said in security bulletin MS02-071. http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sec...n/MS02-071.asp. A third Microsoft bulletin, MS02-070, details a "moderate" risk vulnerability in Windows 2000 and Windows XP without Service Pack 1 installed. An attacker could change group policy data received by client systems by silently disabling the signing of Server Message Block (SMB) packets, Microsoft said. http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sec...n/MS02-070.asp Joris Evers

Dec 13, 2002, 01:12 AM	#3
DriveEuro HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Gurnee Illinois Posts: 4,677 Rep Power: 0	Haven't they always been plagued. No wonder you really never here anything about Macs or Linux. Although few companies run on these systems so there is little said about them. I so want to ditch MS but Linux still can't do it all. __________________ [color=orange]ASUS P4P800 Deluxe [color=black]-[/color] 2.4C --> 3300mhz [color=black]-[/color] Mushkin PC3200 at 220 5-2-2-2 (cpu limited) [color=black]-[/color] BBAti 9800Pro at 430/375 [/color] [color=black]3[/color][color=gray]D[/color]M[color=black]a[/color][color=gray]r[/color]k[color=yellow]01[/color] [color=black]3[/color][color=gray]D[/color]M[color=black]a[/color][color=gray]r[/color]k[color=yellow]03[/color] 16001200 12801024

Dec 13, 2002, 05:03 AM	#4
DallasStar Junior Join Date: May 2002 Location: Wave Existence Posts: 2,065 Rep Power: 0	why can't they just use java runtime environment? what exactly is the purpose of virtual machine? it just creates bugs and fulfils a purpose that can be fulfilled by the less buggy jre. i know vm is based off of jre, but why modify it at all? i really don't understand the logic behind all of this. __________________ "A picture of my existence... would show a useless wooden stake covered in snow... stuck loosely at a slant in the ground in a ploughed field on the edge of a vast open plain on a dark winter night." --- Franz Kafka

Dec 13, 2002, 05:33 AM	#5
DriveEuro HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Gurnee Illinois Posts: 4,677 Rep Power: 0	MS doesn't have logic. Aimless and bored people. They have to do something to keep themselves occupied. __________________ [color=orange]ASUS P4P800 Deluxe [color=black]-[/color] 2.4C --> 3300mhz [color=black]-[/color] Mushkin PC3200 at 220 5-2-2-2 (cpu limited) [color=black]-[/color] BBAti 9800Pro at 430/375 [/color] [color=black]3[/color][color=gray]D[/color]M[color=black]a[/color][color=gray]r[/color]k[color=yellow]01[/color] [color=black]3[/color][color=gray]D[/color]M[color=black]a[/color][color=gray]r[/color]k[color=yellow]03[/color] 16001200 12801024

Dec 12, 2002, 11:55 PM	#2
nForcer Twice the fun! Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 1,404 Rep Power: 0	Sucks that MS is plaqued with problems, but atleast they are fixing them.

Dec 13, 2002, 06:37 AM	#6
nForcer Twice the fun! Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 1,404 Rep Power: 0	Well they obviously get paid more than us, and nothing is perfect, so I'll take flawed logic since its the only logic worth using. :P