HNS Newsletter Issue 170 - 14.07.2003. http://net-security.org This is a newsletter delivered to you by Help Net Security. It covers weekly roundups of security events that were in the news the past week. Visit Help Net Security for the latest security news - http://net-security.org. ---------------------------------------------------------------- ALERT: How a Hacker Launches a SQL Injection Attack ---------------------------------------------------------------- It's as simple as placing additional SQL commands into an input box on a web form giving hackers complete access to all your backend data! Firewalls and IDS will not stop SQL Injection attempts because they are NOT seen as intrusions. Download this *FREE* white paper from SPI Dynamics for a complete guide to protection! ---------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.spidynamics.com/mktg/sqlinjection56 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Table of contents: 1) Security news 2) Vulnerabilities 3) Advisories 4) Articles 5) Reviews 6) Security world 7) Virus news [ Security news ] ---------------------------------------------------------------- SWISS TURN UP THE HEAT ON CYBERCRIME Swiss efforts to combat cybercrime appear to be bearing fruit six months after the government set up a special unit to police the Internet. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3048 WEB HACKING CONTEST CLAIMS 'NO BIG NAMES' Computer hackers vying in a global contest on Sunday defaced a slew of Web sites, but the damage was confined to the Internet's backwater of small, unsecured sites, security officials said. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3049 PROMISES TO PROTECT CUSTOMER DATA GET SOME ATTENTION Most online businesses promise they'll protect customer data as if it were their own. Now the government is holding them to it. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3050 KERNEL ROOTKITS EXPLAINED In this article the basics of ‘rootkitting’ will be explained, and how you can protect yourself against them. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3051 DUTCH MASS SPAMMER LOSES GRIP Martijn Bevelander is not a happy man. The 23 year-old Dutch entrepreneur was exposed last week by the BBC as a mass spammer. Now his company Megaprovider is sinking. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3052 MIT PROJECT LETS CITIZENS 'GOOGLE' FEDS Its creators hope it will become a Google of government, a massive Internet clearinghouse of information to help citizens track their leaders as effectively as their leaders track them. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3055 START-UP STREAMLINES E-MAIL ENCRYPTION Voltage Security has its sights set on making sure that more people encrypt their e-mail. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3056 EDS SET TO PROTECT MOBILE DATA Hoping to cash in on a growing disaster-recovery market, Electronic Data Systems launched a service to protect data held on desktop computers, laptops and personal digital assistants. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3057 RESEARCHERS KEEP AN EYE ON THE FUTURE OF SECURITY The idea of checking physical characteristics to authenticate a person's identity has a long and distinguished history. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3058 THE FINE ART OF PASSWORD PROTECTION During a recent European trade show, organizers convinced 90 percent of office workers traveling through a London tube station to reveal their computer passwords. They merely included the question at the end of a long list of seemingly harmless queries. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3059 REQUIEM FOR A HACKER Security has become a very big business in IT over the past few years. You'd think its growth as a commercial market would have made all our information more secure. It hasn't. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3060 BASIC HARDENING LINUX This article includes the essential steps an administrator must follow to harden a Unix system; specifically, a Red Hat Linux system. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3061 ANTIVIRUS CONCERNS IN XP AND .NET ENVIRONMENTS This article will discuss new antivirus concerns within Microsoft's .NET framework and Windows XP applications. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3062 ORACLE'S SECURITY GUARD Exec vying to put lock on hot market. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3063 ASSET PROTECTION Banks come in all shapes and sizes, from global financial services firms down to the smallest credit unions. But finding better ways to ensure security is a common concern. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3064 VIRUS ATTACKS UP 17.5% Last month's Bugbear-B worm was the most pernicious virus in the first half of 2003. Security firm Sophos received reports about 3,855 new viruses, a 17.5% increase compared to the same period last year, the firm said. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3065 PRO-CHINA SITE HIT BY HACKERS Last weekend's hacking contest may have struck a high-profile Chinese site. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3067 EXPERTS SAY HACKER HYPE IS THREAT ON ITS OWN After a widely publicized hacking contest failed to cause as much damage as expected last weekend, computer security experts are advocating a novel response for Internet hackers out for a digital joy ride: ignore them. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3068 SCI-FI SECURITY TECHNOLOGIES A REALITY Retinal scans, DNA identification access, fingerprint smart cards and voice driven activation. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3069 'SPOOF' E-MAIL SCAM SPREADS That e-mail may look like it's from a well-known company. But as more people have discovered in recent months, it could be an attempt to defraud you. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3070 SECURITY UNEASE AS GOVERNMENT BUYS SOFTWARE Sitting at his laptop computer in a hotel near Toronto one day last October, Gregory Gabrenya was alarmed by what he discovered in the sales-support database of his new employer, Platform Software: the names of more than 30 employees of the United States National Security Agency. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3071 HONEYPOTS - HITTING THE SWEET SPOT Cool new technologies are pushing honeypots closer to prime time. Honeypot guru Lance Spitzner gives us an advance look. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3072 WHO'S WATCHING YOU SURF? Citizen-rights groups turn to courts, Congress to keep tabs on legal surveillance. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3073 CARELESS PDA USERS THREATEN CORPORATE SECURITY More people are using PDAs for keeping business data, increasing the security problems faced by corporates, according to the second annual PDA Usage Survey. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3074 USING ETHICAL HACKING TO ENSURE SECURITY Ethical hacking, also known as internal security auditing, is an effective method to determine security vulnerabilities within IT architectures. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3075 WE'VE FOUND THE PERFECT SOLUTION TO SPAM The Internet Research Task Force's (IRTF) quest for an effective solution to spam has struck gold in the form of IT specialist Mark McCarron. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3076 WEBCASTERS THREATEN TO SUE RIAA A group representing small Webcasters is threatening to sue the Recording Industry Association of America on antitrust grounds, fearful that hundreds or thousands of stations will be pushed offline. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3079 FREEBSD 5.1 SHOWS HANDY NEW FEATURES FreeBSD includes a security utility that can minimize the damage caused by an attack on a service such as BIND or sendmail by running the service within an isolated environment, or jail. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3080 IBM UNVEILS SECURITY LANGUAGE IBM unveiled a programming language that enables enterprises a way to automate the enforcement of privacy policies across IT applications and systems. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3081 FEDS: SSA VULNERABLE TO IDENTITY THEFT Congressional investigators working undercover obtained Social Security numbers for nonexistent newborns and used the Social Security numbers of dead people to obtain driver's licenses, exposing weaknesses at the Social Security Administration that could be exploited by identity thieves. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3082 FAKE PAYPAL SITE COULD LEAD TO IDENTITY THEFT A realistic-looking site purporting to be from PayPal billing is asking for information, including password and PIN details, from users that could enable identity theft. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3083 IE BUGS KEEP COMING Seventeen days from Bugtraq to patch. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3084 MUMU WORM MAKES A MESS A worm leaves its mark - and exposes security deficiencies at remote offices. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3085 WLAN SECURITY: DOES ANYBODY CARE? About half of all enterprises neglect wireless local area network (WLAN) security, according to a new Jupiter Research report. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3086 NETSCREEN PUTS IPV6 IN FIREWALL BETA Makers of network security gear are lining up to help enterprises and service providers implement IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6), the next-generation network layer protocol for the Internet that offers a vastly larger number of host addresses. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3087 DECODING MOBILE DEVICE SECURITY In view of the proliferation of mobile devices, it's surprising how few are appropriately secured against the financial, legal and regulatory risks associated with the potential exposure of sensitive data. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3088 ADOBE AND IBM JOIN TO BOOST PDF SECURITY IBM is expected to announce a partnership with software maker Adobe Systems on Thursday to boost security in documents created with Adobe's Acrobat software. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3089 WATCH OUT FOR THE SCAMMERS SurfControl is warning people to use extra security precautions against "brand spoofing," which is a tactic used to defraud people. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3090 SPAM FIGHT DIVIDES ON PARTY LINES Once thoroughly bipartisan, the debate in Washington over how to reduce the flow of bulk e-mail is now pitting Democrats against Republicans--a development that threatens to complicate enactment of laws regulating spam. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3091 CONNECT SECURELY WITH SSH You'll undoubtedly want to use ssh to work on your servers from remote sites, but it takes an assortment of tricks to keep progress rolling smoothly. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3092 AUSSIE DEFACER ARRESTED IN PARIS A 17-year-old French cracker who defaced websites in Australia, Britain, and the United States with political messages has been arrested in Paris and ordered to stay away from the Internet while on parole, police revealed. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3093 SETTING UP A SECURE WIRELESS NETWORK If you have a low-end access point, your security will be limited to Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) and MAC address filters. With a higher end access point, you'll be able to turn on Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP). http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3094 HOW SECURE IS YOUR BROWSER? Results of a survey conducted by the Belgian IT security company, ScanIT, indicates that many of the worlds computers are "sitting targets" for attackers, despite the use of virus protection software and firewalls. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3095 IBM INTRODUCES EPAL FOR PRIVACY MANAGEMENT IBM introduced a set of tools that will help companies automatically set and manage privacy policies that govern access to sensitive data stored in corporate applications and databases. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3096 RFID SPY-CHIPPERS LEAK CONFIDENTIAL DATA ON THE WEB Public relations flacks eager to win the public over to the benefits of mass RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) chip proliferation have ironically managed to leave their own confidential plans unprotected on the Web. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3097 A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO SECURITY Time to swap medieval security policies for a more collaborative attitude. http://www.net-security.org/news.php?id=3098 ---------------------------------------------------------------- [ Vulnerabilities ] All vulnerabilities are located here: http://www.net-security.org/archive_vuln.php ---------------------------------------------------------------- Acroread 5.0.7 Buffer Overflow Vulnerability http://www.net-security.org/vuln.php?id=2817 Gattaca Server 2003 Multiple Vulnerabilities http://www.net-security.org/vuln.php?id=2816 Microsoft Utility Manager Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability http://www.net-security.org/vuln.php?id=2815 Apache HTTP Server Type-Map File Denial of Services http://www.net-security.org/vuln.php?id=2814 Named Pipe Filename Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability http://www.net-security.org/vuln.php?id=2813 TerminatorX Local Root Compromise Vulnerability http://www.net-security.org/vuln.php?id=2812 QShop Priviledge Escalation Vulnerability http://www.net-security.org/vuln.php?id=2811 Bitboard2 Information Disclosure Vulnerability http://www.net-security.org/vuln.php?id=2810 Rockliffe Mailsite Express Unauthorized Mail Attachments Retrieving Vulnerability http://www.net-security.org/vuln.php?id=2809 Knoppix 3.1 Qt Temporary Files Race Condition Vulnerability http://www.net-security.org/vuln.php?id=2808 IglooFTP PRO Multiple Buffer Overflow Vulnerabilities http://www.net-security.org/vuln.php?id=2807 Microsoft Outlook Web Access Cross Site Scripting Vulnerability http://www.net-security.org/vuln.php?id=2806 ICQ 2003a Password Bypass Vulnerability http://www.net-security.org/vuln.php?id=2805 Canon GP300 Denial of Service Vulnerability http://www.net-security.org/vuln.php?id=2804 VP-ASP SQL Injection Vulnerability http://www.net-security.org/vuln.php?id=2803 cPanel Malicious HTML Tags Injection Vulnerability http://www.net-security.org/vuln.php?id=2802 myServer Denial of Service Vulnerability http://www.net-security.org/vuln.php?id=2801 ---------------------------------------------------------------- [ Advisories ] All advisories are located at: http://www.net-security.org/archive_advi.php ---------------------------------------------------------------- Conectiva Linux Security Announcement - pam http://www.net-security.org/advisory.php?id=2217 OpenPKG Security Advisory - imagemagick http://www.net-security.org/advisory.php?id=2216 OpenPKG Security Advisory - infozip http://www.net-security.org/advisory.php?id=2215 Cisco Security Advisory - Denial-of-Service of TCP-based Services in CatOS http://www.net-security.org/advisory.php?id=2214 Debian Security Advisory - New teapop packages fix SQL injection http://www.net-security.org/advisory.php?id=2213 Microsoft Security Bulletin MS03-023 - Buffer Overrun In HTML Converter Could Allow Code Executio http://www.net-security.org/advisory.php?id=2212 Turbolinux Server Security Announcement - unzip http://www.net-security.org/advisory.php?id=2211 Debian Security Advisory - New teapop packages fix SQL injection http://www.net-security.org/advisory.php?id=2210 Debian Security Advisory - New phpsysinfo packages fix directory traversal http://www.net-security.org/advisory.php?id=2209 Debian Security Advisory - New xbl packages fix buffer overflow http://www.net-security.org/advisory.php?id=2208 Debian Security Advisory - New unzip packages fix directory traversal http://www.net-security.org/advisory.php?id=2207 Debian Security Advisory - New skk, ddskk packages fix insecure temporary file creation http://www.net-security.org/advisory.php?id=2206 Conectiva Linux Security Announcement - php4 http://www.net-security.org/advisory.php?id=2205 Conectiva Linux Security Announcement - imp http://www.net-security.org/advisory.php?id=2204 Mandrake Linux Security Update Advisory - unzip http://www.net-security.org/advisory.php?id=2203 Debian Security Advisory - New mozart packages fix unsafe mailcap configuration http://www.net-security.org/advisory.php?id=2202 Debian Security Advisory - New liece packages fix insecure temporary file creation http://www.net-security.org/advisory.php?id=2201 OpenPKG Security Advisory - php, apache http://www.net-security.org/advisory.php?id=2200 Debian Security Advisory - New x-face-el packages fix insecure temporary file creation http://www.net-security.org/advisory.php?id=2199 Debian Security Advisory - New semi, wemi packages fix insecure temporary file creation http://www.net-security.org/advisory.php?id=2198 Conectiva Linux Security Announcement - openldap http://www.net-security.org/advisory.php?id=2197 Conectiva Linux Security Announcement - ml85p http://www.net-security.org/advisory.php?id=2196 Conectiva Linux Security Announcement - xpdf http://www.net-security.org/advisory.php?id=2195 ---------------------------------------------------------------- [ Featured articles ] All articles are located at: http://www.net-security.org/articles_main.php Articles can be contributed to staff@net-security.org ---------------------------------------------------------------- 21ST CENTURY INFAMOUS COMPETITIONS In yet another opinion article, Panda Sofware's Fernando de la Cuadra, shares his view on virus writers and their contests. http://www.net-security.org/article.php?id=522 MIT KERBEROS 5 RELEASE 1.3 ANNOUNCED The MIT Kerberos Team announced the availability of the new version of MIT Kerberos. Read on to discover where you can get it as well as the major changes since release 1.2.8. http://www.net-security.org/article.php?id=523 NEW WIRELESS SECURITY SOLUTION FROM AIRDEFENSE AirDefense introduced its AirDefense Guard 1120 as an entry-level solution to provide the highest level of security and support for enterprise wireless LANs at an affordable price. http://www.net-security.org/article.php?id=524 ---------------------------------------------------------------- [ Reviews ] All reviews are located at: http://www.net-security.org/reviews.php ---------------------------------------------------------------- BUILD YOUR OWN SERVER I've had the pleasure of reading several books that build system administration skills essential for successfully managing a system. This time I went through a title that covers not only the configuration of an operating system on a server but also the actual building of a server. Do the step-by-step instructions deliver? Read on to find out. http://www.net-security.org/review.php?id=86 REVIEW - WIFI SECURITY Books like the one I'm taking a look at today, clearly show that wireless security is not just about the infamous WEP. This is a hot topic, but is this book worth buying? http://net-security.org/review.php?id=85 THE COMPLETE C++ TRAINING COURSE 4/E This course could just be the right one to show that object orientation is the most efficient approach to solving software engineering problems. In this sense, it's an excellent choice for newcomers and for experienced C programmers, as both will find its C++ object oriented approach very convincing and understandable. http://www.net-security.org/review.php?id=84 ---------------------------------------------------------------- [ Security world ] All press releases are located at: http://www.net-security.org/press_main.php ---------------------------------------------------------------- RSA Security Extends Identity and Access Management to Mainframe Environments http://www.net-security.org/press.php?id=1531 PivX Security Heads Up - Millions of Windows Users Vulnerable http://www.net-security.org/press.php?id=1530 CyberGuard Unveils New Multi-Gigabit Security Appliance Powerhouse http://www.net-security.org/press.php?id=1529 Diversinet Earns NIST Listing for Passport Mobile Security Solution http://www.net-security.org/press.php?id=1528 GFI White Paper Exposes How Hackers Can Elude Anti-Virus Software With Custom Trojans http://www.net-security.org/press.php?id=1527 Leading Market Research Firm Confirms That Websense Is the World's Foremost Provider of Web Filtering Solutions http://www.net-security.org/press.php?id=1526 Sapo Portal's Web Mail Protected by Panda Software http://www.net-security.org/press.php?id=1525 Equant Selects Ubizen As Global Managed Security Partner http://www.net-security.org/press.php?id=1524 Do Not Spam List May Be Inevitable, But Much Work Required http://www.net-security.org/press.php?id=1523 NetScreen First To Demonstrate IPv6 Support for Both Firewall and VPN Functions http://www.net-security.org/press.php?id=1522 Zix Corporation Provides Secure Email Services to Jewish Hospital HealthCare Services and Expands Kentucky Presence http://www.net-security.org/press.php?id=1521 Kingston Communications and Integralis to Offer Customers Access to Security Expertise http://www.net-security.org/press.php?id=1520 Sygate Achieves Leader Quadrant Position In Personal Firewall Magic Quadrant http://www.net-security.org/press.php?id=1519 Sygate's Security Solution Receives Ongoing Industry Validation http://www.net-security.org/press.php?id=1518 Neoteris Unveils The Meeting Series Product Family, Extending The Instant Virtual Extranet Platform With Secure Online Meeting Appliances http://www.net-security.org/press.php?id=1517 Rainbow's iKey USB Token Integrated Into Web-based Secure E-mail S-Mail.com http://www.net-security.org/press.php?id=1516 Intrusion Inc. Software-Appliance CD Turns Standard Server Platform into IDS Appliance http://www.net-security.org/press.php?id=1515 StarForce Technology and OEM Allied to Protect European CD-Rs http://www.net-security.org/press.php?id=1514 ---------------------------------------------------------------- [ Virus News ] All virus news are located at: http://www.net-security.org/viruses.php ---------------------------------------------------------------- Weekly Virus Report - IRC.Sx2 Trojan, Graps and Ronoper.B Worms http://www.net-security.org/virus_news.php?id=270 Viruses Reach Record High For Year http://www.net-security.org/virus_news.php?id=269 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Questions, contributions, comments or ideas go to: Help Net Security staff staff@net-security.org http://net-security.org ---------------------- Subscribe to this weekly digest on: http://www.net-security.org/subscribe.php Unsubscribe by sending the e-mail address you are subscribed with to: info@net-security.org with UNSUBSCRIBE in the message body. The archive of the newsletter in TXT and PDF format is available http://www.net-security.org/newsletter_archive.php ---------------------------------------------------------------- ALERT: How a Hacker Launches a SQL Injection Attack” ---------------------------------------------------------------- It's as simple as placing additional SQL commands into an input box on a web form giving hackers complete access to all your backend data! Firewalls and IDS will not stop SQL Injection attempts because they are NOT seen as intrusions. Download this *FREE* white paper from SPI Dynamics for a complete guide to protection! ---------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.spidynamics.com/mktg/sqlinjection56 ----------------------------------------------------------------