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Incomplete Microsoft Patch Left Machines Exposed To Stuxnet LNK Vulnerability
msm1267 writes: A five-year-old Microsoft patch for the .LNK vulnerability exploited by Stuxnet failed to properly protect Windows machines, leaving them exposed to exploits since 2010. Microsoft today is expected to release a security bulletin, MS15-020, patching the vulnerability (CVE-2015-0096). It is unknown whether there have been public exploits of patched machines. The original LNK patch was released Aug. 2, 2010. "That patch didn't completely address the .LNK issue in the Windows shell, and there were weaknesses left behind that have been resolved in this patch," said Brian Gorenc, manager of vulnerability research with HP's Zero Day Initiative. Gorenc said the vulnerability works on Windows machines going back to Windows XP through Windows 8.1, and the proof of concept exploit developed by Heerklotz and tweaked by ZDI evades the validation checks put in place by the original Microsoft security bulletin, CVE-2010-2568.
This is going to get ugly
The might have... if doing so allowed Iran to be set back by a few years on nuclear weapons development, I could see that happening...
The question becomes, do the ends justify the means?
Most people give a straight up "yes/no" answer to that question, however the reality is that it is a gray line. It isn't hard to come up with a situation where the answer is yes, even to the most die hard "no" person.
Ms has been suspected of intentionally leaving blatant backdoors in their OS for years, their patches are also suspected of fixing one hole but replacing it with another.
It tough to say, simply becuase one would figure a whistle blower would emerge and say something, but then again the people that work at MS on patches and their software are probably under a confidentiality agreement/contract that they cannot discuss any of the work they were involved in while under employment or while they were employed with the company. And they could be seeing criminal charges filed against them, I find it a little odd more people that have worked with other software companies and have openly talked about things they were involved in that are suspect.
I like to keep in the gray area on just about everything, so its a coin toss.
Is this why there are torrents out there with a several hundred megabyte file with the name of a TV show ending in .mp4.lnk ?
Companies have the power and backing to crush you, while other software companies don't. Even after the whole monopoly busting thing I'm sure MS and it's richer employees have bought many politicians and other government workers.
I don't even read Slashdot "stories" about Microsoft anymore, because most are just obvious "troll" or click-bait aimed at the anti-microsofties that prevail at Slashdot.
Soylentnews.com is a great site.
If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.
I've been a software engineer at MS off and on for 15+ years. I've never seen any agreement that said I could not discuss my work there. Make up your mind: is everything MS ever does insecure, or is it secure enough that they have to leave in back doors intentionally?
Linux. Had to rub it in.
Doesn't exist on so many levels it is now passé.
Full details about how the 2010 patch failed are now available. Looks like they tried to do a whitelist check for approved CPL files, but it didn't work. There's a video too, although a video showing how to use regedit is only so useful. http://h30499.www3.hp.com/t5/H...
The way I see it, it's quite feasible that the vulnerability was deliberately left in to provide a back door for the US government agencies to exploit. Only now that stuxnet and similar are becoming widely publicised are Microsoft closing that door.
Here at the NSA, we would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Microsoft for the incomplete patch. Not that we had anything at all to do with STUXNET. No, nothing at all. Nor anyone else in the U.S. government from any other agencies, nor the defense department.
Again, THANK YOU, Microsoft.
Howdy. Its NSA here, You can patch the hole now, Stux is no use to us anymore.
Micro$oft: Ok, wilco. See You at lunch.
why all my centrifuges just blew up.
Curse You Microsoft!
Harrison's Postulate - "For every action there is an equal and opposite criticism"
Then why post as A.C.?
Even after the whole monopoly busting thing
What monopoly-busting thing? The DoJ found Microsoft guilty of having abused its monopoly position, then Ashcroft (under Bush) excused them for their wrongdoing and nothing happened.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"