Microsoft Windows Messenger Remote Illegal Access Vulnerability

by cocoruder(frankruder_at_hotmail.com)
http://ruder.cdut.net


Summary:

    A remote illegal access vulnerability exists in Microsoft Windows
Live Messenger. A vicious attacker can control the Live Messenger via
constructing a malicious web page, once the victim visits this page,
the attacker can control the local Live Messenger, including
disclosing personal sensitive information of Live Messenger,
transferring local audio and video information to remote and so on.


Affected Software Versions:

    Microsoft Windows Live Messenger 4.7 on Windows XP and Windows Server 2003
    Microsoft Windows Live Messenger 5.1 on Windows 2000, Windows XP
and Windows Server 2003



Details:

    When installing Windows XP, an old edition of MSN Messenger is
installed automatically. The old edition opens the MSN API to develop
as an ActiveX Control, and marks it with "safe".

    By using this ActiveX Control, we can control the local MSN
Messenger, for instance: change state, gain current login ID, steal
contact-person's information, send mail using the victim's name, and
so on, all of these functions given by this feature can be considered
to be security problems.

    Even the user installs a higher edition of MSN Messenger(Windows
Live Messenger), this ActiveX control will not be removed. By using
this we will still be allowed to visit the local Live Messenger.



Solution:

    Microsoft has released an advisory for this vulnerability which
can be found at:

    http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms08-050.mspx



CVE Information:

    CVE-2008-0082



Disclosure Timeline:

    2007.05.31        Vendor notified
    2007.05.31        Vendor responded
    2008.XX.XX        Advisory delayed by the vendor many times
    2008.08.12        Coordinated public disclosure



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