Knowing the existence of the COMSPEC variable and knowing its value are two different 
issues.  In the case of a directory traversal exploit I would need to know the value 
of the COMSPSEC variable to use this exploit.

Denny

-----Original Message-----
    From: "Saraga, Scott l" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
    Sent: 11/13/02 10:37:59 AM
    To: "NT 2000 Discussions" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
    Subject: RE: Securing Webserver was RE: Active Directory Password Policy G rief.
    
    Any knowledgeable hacker/cracker would know about the existence of the
    COMSPEC variable. 
    
     -----Original Message-----
    From:       Depp, Dennis M. [mailto:deppdm@;ornl.gov] 
    Sent:       Wednesday, November 13, 2002 10:09 AM
    To: NT 2000 Discussions
    Subject:    RE: Securing Webserver was RE: Active Directory Password
    Policy G rief.
    
    How will an attacker find the COMSPEC variable in the first place.
    
    Dennis
    
    -----Original Message-----
        From: "Lum, David" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
        Sent: 11/13/02 9:55:32 AM
        To: "NT 2000 Discussions" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
        Subject: RE: Securing Webserver was RE: Active Directory Password Policy
    G rief.
        
        Wouldn't an attacker utilize the comspec variable to run the program in
    the
        first place?
        
        Dave Lum - [EMAIL PROTECTED]
        Sr. Network Specialist - Textron Financial
        503-675-5510
        
        
        -----Original Message-----
        From: James Winzenz [mailto:james.winzenz@;inovis.com]
        Sent: Wednesday, November 13, 2002 06:42 AM
        To: NT 2000 Discussions
        Subject: RE: Securing Webserver was RE: Active Directory Password Policy
        G rief.
        
        
        It may have been for IIS 4.0, but certainly isn't listed in Microsoft's
        recommended steps for securing IIS 5.0 (at least, not that I saw).  That
        being said, to change the location for cmd.exe, you need to go into the
        environmental variables (properties of my computer, advanced,
    environmental
        variables button).  Under system variables, edit ComSpec (cmd.exe) and
        change it to to the new location.
        
        James Winzenz, MCSE, A+
        Associate Systems Administrator
        InovisTM, formerly Harbinger and Extricity
        
        
        -----Original Message-----
        From: Depp, Dennis M. [mailto:deppdm@;ornl.gov] 
        Sent: Wednesday, November 13, 2002 9:34 AM
        To: NT 2000 Discussions
        Subject: RE: Securing Webserver was RE: Active Directory Password Policy
    G
        rief.
        
        
        Actually in securing NT 4.0, Microsoft recommended either moving these
    files
        to a different location or setting more restrictive ACLs on these files.
        There was a hack for IIS called directory traversal.  In this attack,
    the
        attacker utilizes the default location for webroot and the default
    location
        for the system files to traverse up the directory to c:\ and then back
    to
        cmd.exe.  This can be done with no privledge elevation.  If cmd.exe is
        moved, or if the IUSR account doe not have execute priveleges, the
    attacker
        is not able to exploit the directory traversal vulnerability.  This is
    just
        one example of a known vulnerability.  The next vulnerability may also
        utilize the known locations of certain tools.  If the tools are moved,
    the
        attack is blocked.  While I would not rely only on moving these tools,
    it is
        still a valid and effective defense.
        
        Dennis Depp
        
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