Yes I checked out the script that called calc.exe, but from what I learn
each month at my OWASP meetings about XSS and what really nefarious
things that can be done to a system, calling a system executable is only
the tip of the iceberg of the bad stuff that can happen on these. 

 

Z

 

Edward Ziots

CISSP,MCSA,MCP+I,Security +,Network +,CCA

Network Engineer

Lifespan Organization

401-639-3505

[email protected]

 

From: James Winzenz [mailto:[email protected]] 
Sent: Thursday, June 10, 2010 11:36 AM
To: NT System Admin Issues
Subject: RE: More pain on the Windows front, possible 0 day

 

Have any of you checked out the examples of the exploit on the
seclists.org site?  It is innocuous - only spawns calc.exe, but it is a
good example of what can be done with this exploit.  Have already passed
it on to my manager to see if we can get a gpo implemented.

Thanks,
 
James Winzenz



 

________________________________

Subject: RE: More pain on the Windows front, possible 0 day
Date: Thu, 10 Jun 2010 11:01:26 -0400
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]

I would also see phishing attacks with this type of exploit as the
payload, along with others. Maybe they combine it with MPACK or Zues...

 

Z

 

Edward Ziots

CISSP,MCSA,MCP+I,Security +,Network +,CCA

Network Engineer

Lifespan Organization

401-639-3505

[email protected]

 

From: James Rankin [mailto:[email protected]] 
Sent: Thursday, June 10, 2010 10:19 AM
To: NT System Admin Issues
Subject: Re: More pain on the Windows front, possible 0 day

 

I would assume the primary method of exploitation would be through a
crafted URL, delivered by whatever method your average virus writer
chooses - email, IM, FaceBook, etc

On 10 June 2010 15:09, David Lum <[email protected]> wrote:

So I'm not clear...if someone clicks on "Help and Support" in 2003 / XP
it's possible for them to get exploted because they might look for
something and get redirected to a compromised site? I'm not clear...what
would my users have to go to get exploited?

David Lum // SYSTEMS ENGINEER 
NORTHWEST EVALUATION ASSOCIATION
(Desk) 971.222.1025 // (Cell) 503.267.9764

 

From: Ziots, Edward [mailto:[email protected]] 
Sent: Thursday, June 10, 2010 6:46 AM


To: NT System Admin Issues
Subject: RE: More pain on the Windows front, possible 0 day

 

What I am thinking if we don't have the spot in the registry, then maybe
configuring your web filtering, to block all URL's  or sequences that
are calling HCP://

 

Per the seclist.org <http://seclist.org/>  site the rogue html file had
the following in it: 

$ cat starthelp.html 

<iframe src="hcp://...">

 

But this was shown accordingly;

Few users rely on Help Centre urls, it is safe to temporarily disable
them
by removing HKCR\HCP\shell\open. This modification can be deployed
easily using
GPOs. For more information on Group Policy, see Microsoft's Group Policy
site,
here
 
This is the exported registry per my XP SP3 system. 
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
 
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\HCP]
@="Help Center Pluggable Protocol"
"URL Protocol"=""
"EditFlags"=dword:00000002
"FriendlyTypeName"="@C:\\WINDOWS\\PCHealth\\HelpCtr\\Binaries\\HCAppRes.
dll,-2100"
 
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\HCP\shell]
 
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\HCP\shell\open]
 
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\HCP\shell\open\command]
@="\"C:\\WINDOWS\\PCHealth\\HelpCtr\\Binaries\\HelpCtr.exe\" -FromHCP
-url \"%1\""
 
Then you can send save this .reg file for restoration procedures if
needed. 
 
The following the directions in http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310516
 
Basically I believe it would look like the following for 
 
HCPfix.reg
 
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\HCP]
@="Help Center Pluggable Protocol"
"URL Protocol"=""
"EditFlags"=dword:00000002
"FriendlyTypeName"="@C:\\WINDOWS\\PCHealth\\HelpCtr\\Binaries\\HCAppRes.
dll,-2100"
 
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\HCP\shell]
 
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\HCP\shell\open]
 
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\HCP\shell\open\command]
@="\"C:\\WINDOWS\\PCHealth\\HelpCtr\\Binaries\\HelpCtr.exe\" -FromHCP
-url \"%1\""
 
Then do a test deploy with Startup GPO with the following as the script.

HCPfix.cmd

regedit.exe /s HCPFIX.reg

 
 
 
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsserver/bb310732.aspx

 

 

I haven't tried it, since I have HIPS at the workstation is a mitigation
control, but for those who don't this might just be the workaround you
are going to need before M$ puts out an OOB patch if they are going too.
Depends on how many PCs you have at risk, how much privileges your users
have and how much of a threat you believe them to be at against this
exploit from the internet. 

 

Sincerely,

EZ

 

Edward Ziots

CISSP,MCSA,MCP+I,Security +,Network +,CCA

Network Engineer

Lifespan Organization

401-639-3505

[email protected]

 

From: James Rankin [mailto:[email protected]] 
Sent: Thursday, June 10, 2010 9:14 AM


To: NT System Admin Issues
Subject: Re: More pain on the Windows front, possible 0 day

 

I think it is just for XP/2003, and it is the MS Help Center stuff



It actually doesn't work properly on 2008, as far as I can tell - I was
looking a bit too deep

On 10 June 2010 14:08, David W. McSpadden <[email protected]> wrote:

I don't have it as well but I am win7pro and I didn't install the HP
help center software??

Maybe??

 

 

________________________________

From: James Rankin [mailto:[email protected]] 
Sent: Thursday, June 10, 2010 8:38 AM


To: NT System Admin Issues
Subject: Re: More pain on the Windows front, possible 0 day

 

I can't find the protocol handler anywhere in HKCR?

On 10 June 2010 13:31, Joe Tinney <[email protected]> wrote:

The article Susan linked had a mitigations section. The one I am most
interested in was the temporary disabling of the hcp protocol handler in
the registry.

 

http://lock.cmpxchg8b.com/b10a58b75029f79b5f93f4add3ddf992/ADVISORY

 

From: Ziots, Edward [mailto:[email protected]] 
Sent: Thursday, June 10, 2010 7:23 AM


To: NT System Admin Issues

Subject: RE: More pain on the Windows front, possible 0 day

 

My intial thought would be HIPS to block the helpctr from even being
called, either that or stopping the help and support center service, and
ACLing the helpctr.exe. But still waiting to see what comes up on the
Security lists from Microsoft that Susan Bradley myself and others are
on, for additional mitigation aspects. 

 

It is a unique exploit since it combines XSS with a hex obfuscation to
bypass windows system controls. 

 

Z

 

Edward Ziots

CISSP,MCSA,MCP+I,Security +,Network +,CCA

Network Engineer

Lifespan Organization

401-639-3505

[email protected]

 

From: James Rankin [mailto:[email protected]] 
Sent: Thursday, June 10, 2010 7:16 AM
To: NT System Admin Issues
Subject: Re: More pain on the Windows front, possible 0 day

 

Saw this earlier on Patch Management...any word yet on
workaround/mitigation to keep us sane until the inevitable OOB patch
comes around?

On 10 June 2010 12:00, Ziots, Edward <[email protected]> wrote:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/06/10/windows_help_bug/
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2010/Jun/205

Looks like a combination of XSS, and invoking the hcp protocol for help
and support center to execute commands in the context of the logged on
user.

PS: Mad Props to Susan Bradley on the Patch Management list for putting
this out....

Z

Edward Ziots
CISSP,MCSA,MCP+I,Security +,Network +,CCA
Network Engineer
Lifespan Organization
401-639-3505
[email protected]


~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~
~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/>  ~




-- 
"On two occasions...I have been asked, 'Pray, Mr Babbage, if you put
into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am
not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could
provoke such a question."

 

 

 

 

 

 




-- 
"On two occasions...I have been asked, 'Pray, Mr Babbage, if you put
into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am
not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could
provoke such a question."

 

 

 

 




-- 
"On two occasions...I have been asked, 'Pray, Mr Babbage, if you put
into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am
not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could
provoke such a question."

 

 

 

 

 

 




-- 
"On two occasions...I have been asked, 'Pray, Mr Babbage, if you put
into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am
not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could
provoke such a question."

 

 

 

 

 

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