* Patches from rPath, Gentoo, Debian, others * Storm Worm now just a squall * 6 hot items on the hacker's holiday shopping list, and other interesting reading
Today’s bug patches and security alerts:
With attack code circulating, RealPlayer fix coming
One day after Symantec researchers discovered software that attacked a critical unpatched vulnerability in RealNetworks’s media player, Real says that a fix for the issue is imminent. IDG News Service, 10/20/07.
A new version of RealPlayer 11 BETA is available to fix the flaw.
Also:
Exploit code found serving from popular advertising site
Details of hijacked 24/7 ad server emerge
**********
Firefox tries again for URI fix, adds Leopard support
Mozilla has released a critical security update to Firefox, taking a third shot at patching bugs in the way the browser can be used to launch programs from Web links. IDG News Service, 10/19/07.
Firefox should automatically download version 2.0.0.8 to fix the issue. All of my machines have downloaded the update.
**********
Two new updates from rPath:
**********
Five new patches from Debian:
t1lib (buffer overflow, code execution)
**********
Three new fixes from Gentoo:
PDFKit and ImageKits (integer overflow, code execution)
The Sleuth Kit (integer overflow, code execution)
util-linux (privilege escalation)
**********
Today’s malware news:
Storm Worm now just a squall
The Storm Worm’s days may be numbered, according to a University of California researcher. Brandon Enright, a network security analyst at UC San Diego, has been tracking Storm since July and said that, despite the intense publicity that the network of infected computers has received, it’s actually been shrinking steadily and is presently a shadow of its former self. On Saturday, he presented his findings at the Toorcon hacker conference in San Diego. IDG News Service, 10/21/07.
**********
From the interesting reading department:
6 hot items on the hacker’s holiday shopping list
Malicious hackers and other assorted bad guys looking for new tools for plying their trade this upcoming holiday season will have plenty of toys and services to choose from. Computerworld, 10/17/07.
Spammers’ new MP3 trick may be short-lived
A variation of spam is sliding past spam filters into inboxes, but it’s not likely the new trick will be successful much longer, a security expert said Thursday. IDG News Service, 10/18/07.
Firewall secures battlefield communications
A security vendor that helps protect U.S. military communications has adapted its firewall for use in tanks, Humvees and helicopters to prevent enemies from intercepting IP transmissions on the battlefield. Network World, 10/19/07.
