Re: Plain text password for Microsoft (icwip.dun)

From: Roland Postle (mailat_private)
Date: Tue Jul 09 2002 - 10:53:22 PDT

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    > When a user wishes to access the internet but doesn't have a specific
    > ISP in mind a user a can use microsofts connection wizzard to download
    > a list of ISPs. This wizzard dials to a free phone number stored in
    > phone.icw and then uses one of the icw*.dun files to authenicate itself
    > to the network (depending on where in the world you are depends on
    > which icw*.dun dile is used) Under normal circumstances the connection
    > wizzard connects to ispreferals.microsoft.com (207.46.152.15) and
    > downloads a list of local ISP's via series of cab files stored in
    > various 4 letter directories on the server. The username stored in the
    > icw*.dun file is "icw5at_private" and the password is "icw5".
    > One of the dial up servers connected to was tnt59.lnd1.uk.uudial.net.
    > As you can see this is not a microsoft machine but it does allow you to
    > access various microsoft machines. (If you are in the UK you connect to
    > the science park in Cambridge, one of Microsofts research centers).
    >
    > Recommendations
    > ---------------
    > Store passwords in an encrypted form
    
    I investigated this a couple of years back. If I remember correctly the
    freephone connection you get is extremely limited. I  could access about 3
    hosts, do a DNS lookup and download the cab files you mention. I couldn't
    find any way to break out of it, (though I was a bit clueless back then). If
    anyone's poked around with some more success I'd love to hear about it.
    
    As for storing the plain text passwords of regular .ins files, I agree it's
    not ideal. But, given that ISPs love to give you a personalised .ins file
    with your username/password in it, and it's not a mamoth task to extract
    them from the registry, or from the connect dialog box, it doesn't seem
    worth worrying about.
    
    - Blazde
    



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