Guest AuNuma1 Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 There's an exploit in Microsoft Internet Explorer and Microsoft IIS webserver that basically redirects you to a Russion site that loads a trojan horse on your machine. Sounds pretty nasty and all you have to do is visit a website that has been compromised with the hack. Researchers believe that attackers seed the Web sites with malicious code by breaking into unsecured servers or by using a previously unknown vulnerability in Microsoft's Web software, Internet Information Server (IIS). When a victim browses the site, the code redirects them to one of two sites, most often to another server in Russia. That server uses the pair of Microsoft Internet Explorer vulnerabilities to upload and execute a remote access Trojan horse, RAT, to the victim's PC. The software records the victim's keystrokes and opens a back door in the system's security to allow the attacker to access the computer.Moreover, the infectious Web sites are not just those of minor companies inhabiting the backwaters of the Web, but major companies, including some banks, said Brent Houlahan, chief technology officer of NetSec. Researchers warn of infectious websites Gov warns of major web attack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrueTiger 0 Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 Thanks for the warning. The spyware and adware crap sucks.. The internet is turning into a bunch of crap... Still love it though.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny AU-92 0 Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 Is there some kind of freeware that you can download to scan your computer for spyware and/or protect it from spyware? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AuNuma1 Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 Is there some kind of freeware that you can download to scan your computer for spyware and/or protect it from spyware? You can download Spybot to search for spyware on your machine. The point of the article wasn't about spyware though. A trojan horse is an all out virus and in this case you can get one simply by visiting a compromised website (using IE). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny AU-92 0 Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 Is there some kind of freeware that you can download to scan your computer for spyware and/or protect it from spyware? You can download Spybot to search for spyware on your machine. The point of the article wasn't about spyware though. A trojan horse is an all out virus and in this case you can get one simply by visiting a compromised website (using IE). I know, but it made me think about spyware and then that made me think about my home computer and this ANNOYING program that "targets" pop-up ads to whatever I type into a search engine. I have deleted it a number of times, but I think my silly is enabling it again each time he goes to this one particular goofy LS-who website!! So, while all you computer gurus were reading this thread, I decided to take advantage of such a superior concentration of Auburn engineering excellence... And thank you! Thank you very much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TitanTiger 20,499 Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 One of the best things you guys on Windows could do is to switch to a different browser. Firefox (click the link in AuNuma's) post is an excellent choice. IE is one big gaping security hole no matter how many patches Microsoft comes up with. It's like trying to patch a strainer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AuNuma1 Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 One of the best things you guys on Windows could do is to switch to a different browser. Firefox (click the link in AuNuma's) post is an excellent choice. IE is one big gaping security hole no matter how many patches Microsoft comes up with. It's like trying to patch a strainer. It's not just that though Titan. They not only exploit the MS browser, they also use the MS webserver to download the virus. That's terrible! And I can't wait until MS releases their "antivirus" software. I know you're lovin it BS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duder 238 Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 You could try a firewall. That should prevent the program from accessing the internet to provide any information. ZoneAlarm is a good choice for those not interested in paying for anything (like myself). You can download it off CNET for free. Even an upgrade to their full anti-virus/firewall is only $20. I've used the free firewall for the last couple of months and it seems to work pretty well. Nothing has gotten through that I know of. For those running XP, technically there is a pre-installed firewall. Firewalls may not keep the program from being downloaded since it's from a page, but it will (if you configure it correctly) ask you before it allows the program to access the internet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny AU-92 0 Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 You could try a firewall. That should prevent the program from accessing the internet to provide any information. ZoneAlarm is a good choice for those not interested in paying for anything (like myself). You can download it off CNET for free. Even an upgrade to their full anti-virus/firewall is only $20. I've used the free firewall for the last couple of months and it seems to work pretty well. Nothing has gotten through that I know of.For those running XP, technically there is a pre-installed firewall. Firewalls may not keep the program from being downloaded since it's from a page, but it will (if you configure it correctly) ask you before it allows the program to access the internet. I am running WIndows ME at home, and doubt that I have any kind of firewall at all. I have Roadrunner for Internet access. They offer a virus scan and firewall program for free download, but it didn't seem to install correctly so I said to heck with it. So... you guys are recommending this FireFox thing - how does that work? How does it replace IE if you are running Windows? Sorry if I sound like a gooberhead, but as internet savvy as I am (SHOPPING QUEEN!) the technical stuff is a little more difficult for me to get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AuNuma1 Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 Jenny, Firefox is just another browser you would use instead of IE. You just download Firefox, install it, and run it instead of IE when you want to jump on the internet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poboy4AU 0 Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 http://www.mozilla.org/ I started using Firefox browser several months ago and am satisfied. Version .9 is the latest and above is the link for anyone interested. Transferred bookmarks , cookie blocking and other options . Works with windows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AuNuma1 Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 More bad news for MS...this one installs a trojan through a popup that steals your online banking passwords. No way, with a straight face anyway, one could say that IE was "the" standard for web browsing. Cnet News.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUJarhead 70 Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 I use two Spyware Removal Programs. Both are free! Spybot Search & Destory Review of Spybot S&D from CNet.com Download Spybot S&D from download.com Ad-aware 6.0 Review of Ad-aware 6.0 from CNet.com Download Ad-Aware 6.0 from download.com I've found that S&D will find some programs that Ad-Aware won't and vice versa. If anyone needs any help running these, please let me know, and I'll be glad to help. Hope this helps... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
autigger 0 Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 I use two Spyware Removal Programs. Both are free!Spybot Search & Destory Review of Spybot S&D from CNet.com Download Spybot S&D from download.com Ad-aware 6.0 Review of Ad-aware 6.0 from CNet.com Download Ad-Aware 6.0 from download.com I've found that S&D will find some programs that Ad-Aware won't and vice versa. If anyone needs any help running these, please let me know, and I'll be glad to help. Hope this helps... i use the same exact ones.......and it also helps get rid of popups Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BamaGrad03 0 Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 More bad news for MS...this one installs a trojan through a popup that steals your online banking passwords. No way, with a straight face anyway, one could say that IE was "the" standard for web browsing. Cnet News.com I don't know...seems to me (from using Firefox) that the MAJORITY of web pages are made with IE in mind. But hey I could be wrong, maybe thats why im having trouble viewing MANY MANY more sites in firefox than IE. Oh well thats how it goes right? I mean MACs dont get a ton of viruses (because the majority use PC's)...so Numa...would you say that MACs are the STANDARD for developing applications, and even for the everyday user? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLAG-91 1,483 Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 Well, I haven't been to a whole bunch of places using Firefox, but the ones I have been to don't look much different, if any different. Given that the displays are a wash and Firefox is, as of right now, much less susceptible to all of this crap that is wrong with IE, I'll stick with Firefox for the time being. Seems like stuff is opening a little faster, too...big deal for those of us still living in the dial-up world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AuNuma1 Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 ...the STANDARD for developing applications... That's about as vague as you can get. What kind of applications? I wasn't talking about software development anyway. I was just talking about the everyday user. IE can't even protect you from getting a virus through a popup...nah. MS's solution is to turn your IE security settings to high and get a third party popup blocking application. Have you ever tried to browse the web with the security setting on high? To me, it's very telling when the US-CERT is advising people to use a browser in the 0.x iteration over MS's 6.x iteration. That should tell you something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BamaGrad03 0 Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 ...the STANDARD for developing applications... That's about as vague as you can get. What kind of application? I wasn't talking about the standard for development anyway. I was just talking about the everyday user. IE can't even protect you from getting a virus through a popup...nah. To me, it's very telling when the US-CERT is advising people to use a browser in the 0.x iteration over MS's 6.x iteration. That should tell you something. My point is that if the guys at Mozilla made the most widely used and distributed web browser (many many times over)....people would be attacking ITS security loopholes, not IE's. And then there would be a big virus scare for Firefox users and USCert would suggest using IE instead of Firefox. Thats just how it is when you are the big dog...everyone guns for you. You don't think AU is recruiting, coaching, and preparing their team to beat western carolina every year do you? Hell no, they are worried about UGA, LSU, UA.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AuNuma1 Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 Not even the same comparison...and it's not just their browser. Webserver is full of holes too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TitanTiger 20,499 Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 Funny, I almost never have any trouble with any websites I go to with Apple's Safari web browser. In fact, only one comes to mind and it is a credit card processing site that my company uses for online transactions. It specifically works only with IE for Windows. Other than that, I get all the benefits of the web with none of the problems that Microshaft's crap browser brings to the table, plus pop-up blocking, tighter cookie management, faster rendering, and tabbed browsing. Doesn't sound like IE is the standard to me...sounds like M$ would like to try and make it the standard the same way they always do: leveraging their OS market position to unfairly tilt the market on everything else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BamaGrad03 0 Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 Well I'm not gonna change ya'lls minds...and you won't change mine. So i guess this is a wasted argument. But hey, since Microsoft is so OBVIOUSLY inept, it shouldnt be but a couple of months before someone comes out with a better and more widely used operating system, development environment, web browser, web server, database environment etc. Its funny to me how they have ALL those things...and others like Mozilla do ONE thing...and you want to blast microsoft for not being perfect all the time. Hey Numa...you still running XP? or did you decide to stop bowing down to the evil microsoft machine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TitanTiger 20,499 Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 You can be better and still not be more widely used. Betamax vs VHS proved that. And the OS dominance is what squelches some of the other things from taking off. People have too much money invested in Windows and so do their customers. I don't blast Microsoft for not being perfect all the time. It would be nice if they could be perfect some of the time. It would be nice if I could say that Windows is on 90% of the worlds computers because it's truly the best operating system. But don't make me laugh. Microsoft is fat and lazy (although Linux is starting to wake them up. Thanks, Munich) and has given lip service to security for years. The tired old "we only leak like a sieve because we're so big" argument doesn't hold water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AuNuma1 Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 Hey Numa...you still running XP? or did you decide to stop bowing down to the evil microsoft machine? Yeah, I am. They haven't released a linux client for Call of Duty yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BamaGrad03 0 Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 Okay Titan, I'll throw this out there for example: I think Outlook is an excellent program (haven't been invited to beta test Gmail yet) I think Access (while I hate it because im a developer) is an EXCELLENT, easy to use application for people just starting out working with databases I think EXCEL is a wonderful application Ditto for Frontpage 2003 if you know NOTHING about web development And from a developer's standpoint I think Visual Studio.net is hands down the best development IDE available. Id be willing to bet that Numa would even agree with me on this one. I'm not saying everyone would agree that vb.net or c# are the best LANGUAGES...im just talking about the IDE. Titan, you ever used Microsoft Map Point? or Visio? Both EXCELLENT EXCELLENT programs as well. So to say the NEVER do anything close to perfect is unfair IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AuNuma1 Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 Yeah, you can pay good money for good apps. You're going beyond the scope of the argument. If I can download a FREE web browser and it's LIGHT YEARS better than MS's browser, don't say that MS's browser is THE standard. Unless you work in MS's marketing department...that's all. I said nothing about MS's other long line of products. And because IE won't protect your machine from getting a trojan virus because of a simple popup, could that be categorized as MS being only "less than perfect"? I think not... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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