(COMTEX) New Hole Could Hurt AOL Messenger
WASHINGTON, Jan 02, 2002 (AP Online via COMTEX) -- A security hole in AOL Time
Warner's Instant Messenger program used by millions of users worldwide can let a
hacker take full control of a victim's computer, according to security
researchers and the company.
An AOL spokesman said the problem will be fixed soon, and users won't have to
download anything.
"We have identified the issue and have developed a resolution that should be
deployed in the next day or two," AOL's Andrew Weinstein said. "To our
knowledge, this issue has not affected any users."
The problem affects newest versions as well as many earlier iterations of AOL's
Instant Messenger program.
Discovered by a loose team of international researchers called 'w00w00,' the
hole is a "buffer overflow," like the problem recently found in Microsoft's
Windows XP.
By sending a stream of junk messages to the program, a hacker can overwhelm the
software and make the victim's computer run any commands the hacker wants.
"You could do just about anything, (you could) delete files on the computer or
take over the machine," w00w00 founder Matt Conover said.
Conover said w00w00 has over 30 active members from 14 states and nine
countries. Until AOL's fix is released, Conover said, Instant Messenger users
should restrict incoming messages to friends on their "Buddy List."
"It will at least keep someone from attacking you at random," Conover said, but
it wouldn't help if the attack code is added to a virus that propagates without
the victim's knowledge. AOL said it has not given its users any advice in the
interim.
Conover said the group found the problem several weeks ago, but didn't contact
AOL until after Christmas. The group didn't get any response from AOL through an
e-mail during the holiday week, he said, so w00w00 released details - and a
program that takes advantage of it - to public security mailing lists less than
a week later.
The program released by w00w00 remotely shuts down a person's Instant Messenger
program, but could be modified to do more sinister things.
That practice is under scrutiny by security professionals. While some
independent researchers argue for a "full disclosure" policy and say software
(COMTEX) B: New Hole Could Hurt AOL Messenger
B: New Hole Could Hurt AOL Messenger
WASHINGTON, Jan 02, 2002 (AP Online via COMTEX) -- A security hole in AOL Time
Warner's Instant Messenger program used by millions of users worldwide can let a
hacker take full control of a victim's computer, according to security
researchers and the company.
An AOL spokesman said the problem will be fixed soon, and users won't have to
download anything.
"We have identified the issue and have developed a resolution that should be
deployed in the next day or two," AOL's Andrew Weinstein said. "To our
knowledge, this issue has not affected any users."
The problem affects newest versions as well as many earlier iterations of AOL's
Instant Messenger program.
Discovered by a loose team of international researchers called 'w00w00,' the
hole is a "buffer overflow," like the problem recently found in Microsoft's
Windows XP.
By sending a stream of junk messages to the program, a hacker can overwhelm the
software and make the victim's computer run any commands the hacker wants.
"You could do just about anything, (you could) delete files on the computer or
take over the machine," w00w00 founder Matt Conover said.
Conover said w00w00 has over 30 active members from 14 states and nine
countries. Until AOL's fix is released, Conover said, Instant Messenger users
should restrict incoming messages to friends on their "Buddy List."
"It will at least keep someone from attacking you at random," Conover said, but
it wouldn't help if the attack code is added to a virus that propagates without
the victim's knowledge. AOL said it has not given its users any advice in the
interim.
Conover said the group found the problem several weeks ago, but didn't contact
AOL until after Christmas. The group didn't get any response from AOL through an
e-mail during the holiday week, he said, so w00w00 released details - and a
program that takes advantage of it - to public security mailing lists less than
a week later.
The program released by w00w00 remotely shuts down a person's Instant Messenger
program, but could be modified to do more sinister things.
That practice is under scrutiny by security professionals. While some
independent researchers argue for a "full disclosure" policy and say software
vendors are trying to cover up their mistakes, many companies say users are
better protected if the company has time to react.
Russ Cooper, who moderates a popular security mailing list and works for
security firm TruSecure, said Conover's actions are irresponsible.
"I think it's better to provide details of the exploit and then let other people
write the actual code," Cooper said. "Unfortunately, these are fundamentally
naive people with a very childish view of the world."
Cooper said he let Conover send the information out through his mailing list,
but only did so after noticing it was released through other channels as well.
Conover said w00w00 set a New Year's deadline for sentimental reasons, because
it was the anniversary of the group's last major security release. He defended
the disclosure of the attack program.
"This is the approach that w00w00 has historically taken to the problem," he
said. "For us it means providing all the information we have available to the
security community."
AOL's Weinstein said the company would have appreciated more warning.
"We'd encourage any software programmer that discovers a vulnerability to bring
it to our attention prior to releasing it," Weinstein said.
---
On the Net: AOL Instant Messenger: aim.aol.com
w00w00: w00w00.org
By D. IAN HOPPER
AP Technology Writer
Copyright 2002 Associated Press, All rights reserved
-0-
APO Priority=r
APO Category=1700
KEYWORD: WASHINGTON
SUBJECT CODE: 1700
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