Microsoft stamps out Passport flaw

Daily Newsletters

Sign up to ZDNet UK's daily newsletter.

NEWS
Microsoft security and product teams worked overnight to fix a flaw in the password reset feature of the Passport identity service that threatened to compromise millions of accounts. By 8 a.m. (PST) on Thursday, the company had replaced the service with a more secure version, one that should have been there in the first place, said Adam Sohn, product manager for Microsoft's Passport team. "It was something that slipped through the reviews," he said. Sohn added that the feature had been around since September 2002 and that Microsoft is currently investigating to what degree the flaw may have been exploited by online vandals to grab user accounts. The issue is perhaps the largest vulnerability known to have slipped through Microsoft's security reviews since the company began its Trustworthy Computing Initiative aimed at, among other things, reducing software vulnerabilities. Microsoft has touted Passport as a technological centrepiece in its Web services future. Passport accounts are central repositories for a person's online data, including personal information such as birthdays, credit card numbers and shipping addresses. The accounts are pitched as a single key for a customer's accounts, allowing for easier purchasing of items online. Microsoft estimates that there are 200 million active Passport accounts. The security issue, apparently discovered by a Pakistani security consultant and student, became public knowledge late on Wednesday night after the student sent details to the Full-Disclosure security mailing list. "It is so simple that it is funny," wrote the student, who used the name Muhammad Faisal Rauf Danka. He claimed to have tried to contact Microsoft through several different email accounts, including security@microsoft.com. Sohn said that account is the general email account for Microsoft's corporate security teams, not its product security. The email eventually was forwarded to the Microsoft Security Response Center, but not before the company had already heard of the issue from CNET News.com. "You live and learn," Sohn said. "We will obviously take a hard look to make sure that if something is sent through the nonstandard channels, and it is real, we are all over it."
For all security-related news, including updates on the latest viruses, hacking exploits and patches, check out ZDNet UK's Security News Section. 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

  • Login

Will not be displayed with your comment

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

Get ZDNet UK's daily newsletter

Enter your email address to sign up

ZDNet UK Live

Sungwoo

do You know that? it can install 4G Ram. So i buy 4g and install It work! I can run call of duty 4,6,7 [Modern war... 1,2,3] Call of duty 1 was...

13 minutes ago by Sungwoo on Loose Ends - Upgrading the Aspire One 522
itsajob

2. Bad idea. Making up patch cables loses you your commission from the cable supplier. 3. If you tidy up, other people can understand where the...

6 hours ago by itsajob on Ten IT jobs to save up for those rare lulls
Roberto_Store

Now On Sale, Unlocked iPhone 4S / Galaxy Note In Factory Box. Roberto-Techie(UK) ”Now on Sales” Smartphone, Android,Tablets,Gadget &...

10 hours ago by Roberto_Store on Samsung Galaxy S III lined up for sale
Paul Smyth

Is this classic FUD? One thing I would definitely have notice is a Mozilla threat to stop supporting GNU/Linux.

12 hours ago by Paul Smyth via Facebook on Firefox rapid release improves Fedora Linux
UnderINK

I agree with the previous commenter wholeheartedly. I couldn't say it better myself. This is very 'Big Brother'. And while I agree with protecting...

16 hours ago by UnderINK on European e-identity plan to be unveiled this month
Simon Bisson and Mary Branscombe

Nice to see that Turing's idea of a general purpose computer doing once-hardware-powered tasks in software is now universal ;-) Mary

21 hours ago by Simon Bisson and Mary Branscombe on Software with everything
Jason Burchell

seriously now. I've only bothered to read a small bit of the comments. do me and the rest of the world a favour. stop saying it does not work or...

1 day ago by Jason Burchell via Facebook on Music industry negotiating over 24-bit downloads
Philip Charles Cohen

Read about it and weep, John Donahoe ... In addition to Visa’s V.me, there is now MasterCard’s PayPass digital wallet soon to arrive; another...

1 day ago by Philip Charles Cohen via Facebook on PayPal takes phone-based payments to the high street
apexwm

Leslie Satenstein : Where have you ever seen Mozilla even mention this? Firefox is the most popular browser in the GNU/Linux OS, so I don't see...

1 day ago by apexwm on Firefox rapid release improves Fedora Linux
songmaster

SHleG: Do you remember building a clockwork scorpion kit (I'm pretty sure I have a photo of it somewhere) — I think it was called something like...

1 day ago by songmaster on Software with everything
Chris Wortman

Good I love Yahoo! Their search engine is getting better than Google as of late. I find more of what I want on the first page, and usually within...

1 day ago by Chris Wortman via Facebook on Linux Mint 13 ramps up for KDE release
PatrickG

openhgs has made the point for Windows 8 multiple monitors without realising it! With Windows 7 you have to switch the mouse and so your focus...

1 day ago by PatrickG on Windows 8 could speed multi-monitor uptake
Leslie Satenstein

Mozilla has threatened to stop supporting Linux. I guess that UBUNTU is going with another browser. I indicated that if Mozilla stops supporting...

1 day ago by Leslie Satenstein via Facebook on Firefox rapid release improves Fedora Linux
Andy Bolstridge

Much as I abhor Microsoft's licensing practices, this is almost certainly down to purchasing IT equipment via 3rd party consultants - you get the...

1 day ago by Andy Bolstridge via Facebook on 6 million wasted licences and £1,200 PCs: welcome to government IT
Jack Schofield

@openhgs Windows users have had multiple desktops since Linus started writing Linux. They just haven't shipped as standard because not enough...

2 days ago by Jack Schofield on Windows 8 could speed multi-monitor uptake
Jack Schofield

@Phil at Cloud4 What, Microsoft gets £1,200 per PC and £1,622 per server? Gosh, I'm amazed....

2 days ago by Jack Schofield on 6 million wasted licences and £1,200 PCs: welcome to government IT
craigsc

You guys have no idea what is going on at Autonomy. Autonomy could have been a much more profitable organization. The sales operations at Autonomy...

2 days ago by craigsc on HP cuts 27,000 staff as Autonomy chief Lynch leaves
Moley

How does this impact on dual or multi booting? Seems to me to more or less prohibit this, from Windows 8 anyway. Will Grub 2 recognise Windows 8,...

2 days ago by Moley on Windows 8 start-up speed forces USB boot workaround
apexwm

I don't understand why there cannot be a slight pause during the boot process so the user can press a key. Many operating systems do this, even if...

2 days ago by apexwm on Windows 8 start-up speed forces USB boot workaround
Gavin Goodman

You can now buy the Xi3 modular computer in the UK at http://www.ocdistribution.com . This can be bought with the Tand3m software, pricing and...

2 days ago by Gavin Goodman on CES 2012: Xi3 microSERV3R