Microsoft Windows Vista Weather Gadget vulnerability

The Windows Vista Weather gadget contains a vulnerability that may allow and attacker to execute code.

Gadgets are mini-applications designed to provide the user with information or utilities. Windows Vista treats gadgets similar to the way Windows Vista treats other executable code. Gadgets are written using HTML and script, but this HTML is not located on an arbitrary remote server as web pages are. HTML content in the Gadget is downloaded first as part of a package of resources and configuration files and then executed from the local computer. This download process is similar to applications (.exe files) downloaded from the Internet.

Today, the Windows Vista Sidebar hosts Gadgets built from HTML, JavaScript, and potentially ActiveX controls, and because Gadgets are HTML, they are subject to Cross-site Scripting style bugs. These bugs are extremely serious because script in the Sidebar is capable of running arbitrary code in the context of the locally logged-on user.

This document outlines some of the secure programming best practices that should be considered when building Windows Vista Sidebar Gadgets.

Never Trust Input

This is the same advice we have given for years, and it still holds true for Sidebar Gadgets. Many Gadgets read, manipulate, and then display untrusted data, such as that coming from an XMLHttpRequest object or an ActiveX control. All such input needs to be validated.

Validate Untrusted Input

There is no replacement for a good input checker. You should build a function or functions that include regular expressions to verify that the input is correctly formed, and if it is not, you should reject the data. Below is a loose example that only allows numbers, brackets, dashes, and spaces between 6 and 14 characters long.

More Information MS07–048

What is Phishing and Pharming?

Phishing attacks use both social engineering and technical subterfuge to steal consumers' personal identity data and financial account credentials. Social-engineering schemes use 'spoofed' e-mails to lead consumers to counterfeit websites designed to trick recipients into divulging financial data such as credit card numbers, account usernames, passwords and social security numbers. Hijacking brand names of banks, e-retailers and credit card companies, phishers often convince recipients to respond. Technical subterfuge schemes plant crimeware onto PCs to steal credentials directly, often using Trojan keylogger spyware. Pharming crimeware misdirects users to fraudulent sites or proxy servers, typically through DNS hijacking or poisoning.

Avoiding Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks

What is a social engineering attack?

To launch a social engineering attack, an attacker uses human interaction (social skills) to obtain or compromise information about an organization or its computer systems. An attacker may seem unassuming and respectable, possibly claiming to be a new employee, repair person, or researcher and even offering credentials to support that identity. However, by asking questions, he or she may be able to piece together enough information to infiltrate an organization's network. If an attacker is not able to gather enough information from one source, he or she may contact another source within the same organization and rely on the information from the first source to add to his or her credibility.

What is a phishing attack?

Phishing is a form of social engineering. Phishing attacks use email or malicious web sites to solicit personal, often financial, information. Attackers may send email seemingly from a reputable credit card company or financial institution that requests account information, often suggesting that there is a problem. When users respond with the requested information, attackers can use it to gain access to the accounts.

How do you avoid being a victim?

• Be suspicious of unsolicited phone calls, visits, or email messages from individuals asking about employees or other internal information. If an unknown individual claims to be from a legitimate organization, try to verify his or her identity directly with the company.
  
  
  
• Do not provide personal information or information about your organization, including its structure or networks, unless you are certain of a person's authority to have the information.
  
  
  
• Do not reveal personal or financial information in email, and do not respond to email solicitations for this information. This includes following links sent in email.
  
  
  
• Don't send sensitive information over the Internet before checking a web site's security policy or looking for evidence that the information is being encrypted (see Protecting Your Privacy and Understanding Web Site Certificates for more information).
  
  
  
• Pay attention to the URL of a web site. Malicious web sites may look identical to a legitimate site, but the URL may use a variation in spelling or a different domain (e.g., .com vs. .net).
  
  
  
• If you are unsure whether an email request is legitimate, try to verify it by contacting the company directly. Do not use contact information provided on a web site connected to the request; instead, check previous statements for contact information. Information about known phishing attacks is also available online from groups such as the Anti-Phishing Working Group (http://www.antiphishing.org/phishing_archive.html).
  
  
  
• Install and maintain anti-virus software, firewalls, and email filters to reduce some of this traffic (see Understanding Firewalls, Understanding Anti-Virus Software, and Reducing Spam for more information).

What do you do if you think you are a victim?

• If you believe you might have revealed sensitive information about your organization, report it to the appropriate people within the organization, including network administrators. They can be alert for any suspicious or unusual activity.
  
  
  
• If you believe your financial accounts may be compromised, contact your financial institution immediately and close any accounts that may have been compromised. Watch for any unexplainable charges to your account (see Preventing and Responding to Identity Theft for more information).
  
  
  
• Consider reporting the attack to the police, and file a report with the Federal Trade Commission (http://www.ftc.gov/).