hole in AOL instant messenger (fixed?)
Kolleen
http://apnews1.iwon.com/article/20020103/D7GQ0BEO1.html?PG=home&SEC=high1
from Washtech.com
Until AOL's fix is released, Conover said, Instant Messenger users
should restrict incoming messages to friends on their "Buddy List."
"It will at least keep someone from attacking you at random,"
Conover said, but it wouldn't help if the attack code is added to a virus
that propagates without the victim's knowledge. AOL said it has not given
its users any advice in the interim.
Hopefully by the time you read this the problem is fixed. BUT here is my
opportunity to talk about the inadequate code that comes from Microsoft
products:
quote from article:
The problem affects the newest as well as many earlier versions of
AOL's Instant Messenger program, which boasts more than 100 million
users. Only the Windows version is at risk; Instant Messengers for
Macintosh, Palm and other platforms are not. America Online Internet
access service customers are safe as well.
quote from Washington Post article on the situation:
Discovered by a loose team of international researchers called
'w00w00,' the hole is a "buffe overflow," like the problem recently found
in Microsoft's Windows XP.
FYI:
Servers that run the pre-unix based codec (pre Mac OSX) are very hard to
hack. Computers that run MacOS don't have those nasty virus problems that
go through email with executable code.
There ARE mac viruses, but they are few and far between. And I haven't
seen any that go through the email system.
IMNSHO, if you play with Microsoft full of hole matches, you'll get
burned.
regards,
kolleen
from Washtech.com
Until AOL's fix is released, Conover said, Instant Messenger users
should restrict incoming messages to friends on their "Buddy List."
"It will at least keep someone from attacking you at random,"
Conover said, but it wouldn't help if the attack code is added to a virus
that propagates without the victim's knowledge. AOL said it has not given
its users any advice in the interim.
Hopefully by the time you read this the problem is fixed. BUT here is my
opportunity to talk about the inadequate code that comes from Microsoft
products:
quote from article:
The problem affects the newest as well as many earlier versions of
AOL's Instant Messenger program, which boasts more than 100 million
users. Only the Windows version is at risk; Instant Messengers for
Macintosh, Palm and other platforms are not. America Online Internet
access service customers are safe as well.
quote from Washington Post article on the situation:
Discovered by a loose team of international researchers called
'w00w00,' the hole is a "buffe overflow," like the problem recently found
in Microsoft's Windows XP.
FYI:
Servers that run the pre-unix based codec (pre Mac OSX) are very hard to
hack. Computers that run MacOS don't have those nasty virus problems that
go through email with executable code.
There ARE mac viruses, but they are few and far between. And I haven't
seen any that go through the email system.
IMNSHO, if you play with Microsoft full of hole matches, you'll get
burned.
regards,
kolleen