Web ripe for massive worm attack

By Matthew Broersma, ZDNet.co.uk, 1 July, 2002 12:21

NEWS

The Web is currently more vulnerable to attack than ever before, as a result of several serious security flaws for different server applications being published within a few days of one another, according to a survey from British network security firm Netcraft. Microsoft published a trio of security advisories on 12 June related to its Internet Information Server (IIS), and this was followed on 17 June by the publication of a bug in the Apache Web server application that leaves the software open to a buffer overflow attack. Together, Apache and IIS make up nearly 90 percent of active Web servers, according to Netcraft, although it has not yet been conclusively proven that the Apache flaw affects versions running on the Linux and Solaris operating systems. One of the IIS flaws affects servers with activated HTR scripting -- an obsolete technology that has been replaced by Active Server Pages. Netcraft noted that around half of the IIS sites on the Internet have HTR scripting enabled, meaning they are probably vulnerable to the attack. "This is more like an isolated event than a trend," said Netcraft director Mike Prettejohn. "This is the first time I can think of that there has been a remotely exploitable Apache vulnerability, and it happened to come within 10 days of this particular Microsoft vulnerability. It has all combined to make the Web pregnant for exploitation." He said that if a worm appeared that made use of the HTR scripting flaw, he would expect it to be "very successful". The situation is made worse by a worm discovered over the weekend that makes use of the Apache flaw, a vulnerability in the mechanism for handling "Chunked Encoding". The worm is thought to be capable of spreading only to Web servers running the FreeBSD operating system -- an open-source variant of Unix -- and which have not had a patch applied for the recent flaw. Although few people have reported the worm, it is thought to be infecting vulnerable Web servers worldwide. Hacking experts have come up with exploits for this flaw on the Windows, FreeBSD and OpenBSD operating systems. Netcraft said that the rate at which Apache servers are being patched is encouraging, with about one-third of Apache's installed base -- or about six million -- having been patched within a week of the flaw's discovery. However, this still leaves 14 million vulnerable sites, according to Netcraft. Prettejohn also noted that patching rates may be higher than they appear; an Apache patch from Linux vendor Red Hat is more difficult to detect, as it does not change the version number of the Apache server. While the spread of destructive worms gets a great deal of public notice, Prettejohn said that worms actually serve a valuable function in making the Web more secure. "Worms are disruptive, but they do tend to flush out any covert activity that may be going on," he said. Attackers often quietly compromise a server in order to install back doors that give them ongoing access to sensitive information, Prettejohn said, but when the server is patched, such back doors are removed. Last year, before the Code Red worm attack, a Netcraft security test found that one in six e-commerce sites running IIS had already had a back door installed. Patches installed to counter Code Red eliminated most of these back doors, Netcraft found.

For all security-related news, including updates on the latest viruses, hacking exploits and patches, check out ZDNet UK's Viruses and Hacking News Section. Have your say instantly, and see what others have said. Go to the Security forum. Let the editors know what you think in the Mailroom.

Post your comment

In order to post a comment you need to be registered and logged in.

You can also log in with Facebook. Log in or create your ZDNet UK account below

By signing up for this service, you indicate that you agree to our Terms and Conditions and have read and understood our Privacy Policy. Questions about membership? Find the answers in the Community FAQ

ZDNet UK Live

Nice review and very informative. One thing I'd like to add (in reply to whs001's 1st question), the main reason to have the same interface from...

1 hour ago by GrueMaster on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint

I'be been using Mint 12 since the RC came out, and I am far more happy with the Cinnamon, the Mate, and, yes (with extensions), theGnome 3...

2 hours ago by Frederick Wrigley via Facebook on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint

Excellent article. One small correction, though--although a fresh installation of Linux Mint 12 will, indeed, provide the user with a version of...

3 hours ago by bdantas on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint

In related news, the ISPs club together to get the members of the Home Affairs Select Committee (ya goofed on that part, ZDNet UK) copies of "The...

3 hours ago by Alan Ralph via Facebook on MPs urge ISPs to take down terrorist material

In related news, the ISPs club together to get the members of the Home Affairs Select Committee (ya goofed on that part, ZDNet UK) copies of "The...

3 hours ago by Alan Ralph via Facebook on MPs urge ISPs to take down terrorist material

For Gnome 2 die-hards, it is possible to add icons to the bottom panel (or top top panel, if you prefer) which provide the exact Gnome 2...

4 hours ago by Moley on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint

Your comments would seem pretty naive and immature. Your 'solution' appears to be, "gee, let's all just give in to the hackers and give them...

4 hours ago by ramwellian on Cloud computing security: no more oxymoron?

"Interesting thought ... If you installed Win7 as a dual boot on a machine that previously only had Linux, and it wrecked your Linux installation,...

5 hours ago by BugStalker on Windows 7 Declares War on GRUB

This is an excellent summary of Ubuntu and Mint and the interface differences between them. Most such articles take a very partisan position for...

5 hours ago by whs001 on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint

@ewallace. Not so clear. Anyone can obtain the text, for example from here http://www.ustr.gov/webfm_send/2379. I support ACTA so long as it and...

5 hours ago by Moley on ACTA: Facts, misconceptions and questions

I think WinRT is fantastic. I just wish it was an option for people that didn't want to go through Microsoft's App Store with its attendant...

8 hours ago by 45283 on Why Windows 8 needs architectural hygiene for WOA

Nine people? £30m? Who's back pocket is that lot going in? And IF they say it is for new buildings, what about all the ones the government has...

9 hours ago by Burn-IT on Police set to launch three £30m e-crime hubs

Just to be clear, nobody knows what is in the text of ACTA, here is a photograph of the text of ACTA http://twitpic.com/8h9iju as submitted to the...

9 hours ago by ewallace on ACTA: Facts, misconceptions and questions

Unfortunately main issue is that ASUS is refusing to accept that they make some mistake on this version of asus Transformer prime. 1 - GPS sensor...

10 hours ago by fgvrg56 on Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime Wi-Fi & GPS problems?

@Marcus A fair question. Just talked with Archos which said it was working on an announcement for next week....

11 hours ago by Ben Woods on Archos confirms G9 Ice Cream Sandwich update schedule

Any update on this, considering the claimed "first week of February"?

13 hours ago by Marcus Karlsson via Facebook on Archos confirms G9 Ice Cream Sandwich update schedule

Bill Goodrich : Just as al_langevin pointed out, with Windows Server 2008 there is no Services for Macintosh anymore. It's gone, not available....

21 hours ago by apexwm on Windows Server 2008 drops the ball for Mac compatibility

Replying to an old topic that I'm currently facing with my CEO (who is on a Mac). Our servers are primarily Windows Servers, office is about...

1 day ago by txtrainguy on Windows Server 2008 drops the ball for Mac compatibility

Sure, that makes perfect sense. Pay wrong-doers money and thank them for breaching your security and pointing out your flaws, that would surely...

1 day ago by k0tcs3 on US indicts Romanian over NASA climate change hack

I think he's referring specifically to Android apps, as Apple do regulate their App Store, but Google seem to let any old crap onto the Android store!

1 day ago by Random_Error on RIM: BlackBerry will keep 'garbage' apps out of store

Featured white papers

Latest jobs

Web ripe for massive worm attack

Daily Newsletters

Topics

Related stories

More flaws threaten Windows

Security warning too quick for comfort?

Ofcom to make it easier to change broadband service

Google set to build backbone of its 1Gbps fibre network

Nicira reveals network virtualisation details

Post your comment

ZDNet UK Live

Latest in Networking

Ofcom to make it easier to change broadband service

Google set to build backbone of its 1Gbps fibre network

Nicira reveals network virtualisation details

Featured white papers

Latest jobs

Test Analyst - Business Intelligence /Data Warehousing

Test Analyst - Business Intelligence /Data Warehousing

Technical MI Manager - 50-60k - Leeds

Inside ZDNet UK

A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint

2012 Predictions: VCE FastPath, VI SAN Probe & Hadoop

BlackBerry Bold 9790

Case study: How cloud enables growth

Ten factors that make Ubuntu 11.10 a hit

Toshiba Portégé Z830-10P Review

BT's archive: Pictures from the vault

News & Analysis

Reviews

Blogs

Resources

About Us

Member Services

Special Features

Advertising Features

ZDNet UK / News and Analysis / Infrastructure / Networking

Web ripe for massive worm attack

Daily Newsletters

Topics

Related stories

Post your comment

Get ZDNet UK's daily newsletter

Enter your email address to sign up

ZDNet UK Live

Latest in Networking

Featured white papers

Latest jobs

Inside ZDNet UK

Resources

About Us

Member Services

Special Features

Advertising Features