Re: Microsoft JET/Office Vulnerability Exploit

From: Russ (Russ.Cooperat_private)
Date: Thu Aug 19 1999 - 09:26:34 PDT

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    Sent to NTBugtraq and Bugtraq.
    
    re: http://www.securityfocus.com/level2/?go=vulnerabilities&id=548
    
    1. I incorrectly stated that it was password protected preventing the
    viewing of the code. The code is readily visible, the formatting of
    the spreadsheet sent me on a wild goose chase. My apologies.
    
    2. Both spreadsheets (the SF-hosted spreadsheet and Juan's original
    spreadsheet) are called SHELL.XLS and contains a sheet called HOJA1.
    Juan Cuartango's spreadsheet contained two additional unused sheets.
    
    3. The SF-hosted spreadsheet "Summary" properties, including author
    and company, are identical to Juan's original spreadsheet.
    
    4. The commands performed by the two different spreadsheets are
    formatted identically, although they do different things (Juan's
    didn't invoke regedit, and relied on the presence of boot.ini instead
    of config.sys)
    
    Ergo, IMNSHO, they are the same, and the SF-hosted spreadsheet is a
    slightly modified copy of Juan's (as opposed to independent creation
    of an exploit or discovery of the vulnerability).
    
    As to where Brootfoceat_private got it, or who they are,
    doesn't matter, clearly Juan's spreadsheet leaked to someone other
    than people he intended it to (since he's now claiming its all
    confidential data).
    
    Apologies for the tone of my previous reply to Elias' post.
    NTBugtraq's policy is public (see
    http://ntbugtraq.ntadvice.com/policy.asp), and as Juan's message made
    clear, I have been sticking to the wishes of the discoverer (and
    abiding by my policy endorsed by NTBugtraq's subscribers). As to
    whether or not full and immediate disclosure is the best thing since
    sliced bread, clearly there are differing views, so be it.
    
    I do feel, however, that the Bugtraq Vulnerability Database should
    contain more information. The fact that there are no dates associated
    with the addition of the exploit code to the Bugtraq-ID record
    associated with Juan's original message can cause problems (when did
    the exploit code get added to the record?).
    
    That fact that nobody has mentioned the existence of the exploit code
    within the Bugtraq vdB caused my serious questions as to when it "was
    found in the wild". It amazes me that, according to Alfred Huger, the
    exploit was on the SF front page "for some time" and nobody seemed to
    notice or mention it anywhere. While there may well be many updates to
    the Bugtraq vdB hourly, something of this import shouldn't be missed
    by so many (inside and outside SF) for so long.
    
    According to my policy, had I been made aware of the fact that the
    exploit was *anywhere* in public things would have been done
    differently. Now that the exploit is available in public, I'll prepare
    my analysis and post it shortly. Hopefully MS will release the fix
    today and the threat can be minimized.
    
    Since there is already a demo page available (noted at top), I won't
    be preparing one.
    
    Cheers,
    Russ - NTBugtraq Editor
    
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