Security Hole in Morpheus

Saint Aardvark writes: "The BBC reports that they've been contacted by a group claiming to be able to copy any file off some Morpheus user's hard drives. Apparently a bug allows for a great deal more file-sharing for some users of the software than intended ..." Man this thing got submitted a lot. I've never actually seen Morpheus, but apparently a lot of readers have! There really isn't a lot of information except that if you're running Morpheus, you might as well consider your hard drive world readable ;)

Comments

This isn't new.

[Calle Ballz]

There were one certain bug that operated on various platforms that allowed anyone on the internet to access not only information on your hard drive, but also place any file they wanted on your hard drive. This bug also allowed them to execute any code on your hard drive.

The bug was called wu-ftpd, and it was packaged with all of your favorite distributions of linux, or unix for that matter.

Something funny... I didn't really see the slashdot crowd raising much of a fuss when that came out.. only seems to be the windows bugs that they are bothered with.

Disinformation anyone?

[Robber Baron]

From the article:
Security experts have been investigating this problem since coming across it on Friday.

"We're not sure what it is that makes some Morpheus members vulnerable to this," said one, who asked to remain anonymous.

It's definitely an accident from Morpheus' side, probably a worm. This is very dangerous."

Uh huh...rather short on details, arent they?
Anyone else getting the feeling that this "story" is in fact disinformation that probably originates with RIAA?

Re:Greater Risk?

[mcubed]

Perhaps the greater risk is that most file sharing is illegal.

Could you please point me to the legal code that specifies file sharing is illegal? Has anyone been convicted of the crime of "file-sharing"? What was the penalty?

...if you get busted with illegal MP3's or movies.

Could you define what constitutes an "illegal" MP3 or movie? The courts already ruled that there is nothing illegal about the *.mp3 file format, in RIAA's failed attempt to stop the Rio player. MP3s contain no copy protection schemes that need to be circumvented in order to play them, so there is no conceivable way an MP3 file could violate the tenants of the DMCA.

Plenty of people do it, but that doesn't make it legal.

You saying it's illegal doesn't make it illegal either, unless you're a judge rendering a decision in a trial of someone charged with "file-sharing." Problem is, there's no law against it, so no such case could be brought.

Could someone more familiar with how /. works please explain to me how the above post gets a "2" when it is nothing but misconceived received opinion?

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