Proof-of-concept code that exploits a critical
[Only Registered and Activated Users Can See Links. Click Here To Register...] in
[Only Registered and Activated Users Can See Links. Click Here To Register...] Media Player has gone public, Microsoft Corp. warned users late Thursday.
A
[Only Registered and Activated Users Can See Links. Click Here To Register...] in Media Player 9 and 10 can be used by attackers to grab control of a PC, security researchers warned. A malicious .asx-formatted playlist, if opened by an unsuspecting user, could completely compromise the machine.
"We're aware of proof-of-concept code published publicly affecting Windows Media ASX
[Only Registered and Activated Users Can See Links. Click Here To Register...] [Only Registered and Activated Users Can See Links. Click Here To Register...] [and] we are currently investigating," wrote Alexandra Huft, a security program manager with the Microsoft Security Response Center, on the
[Only Registered and Activated Users Can See Links. Click Here To Register...]. "We are not currently aware of attempts to
[Only Registered and Activated Users Can See Links. Click Here To Register...] this vulnerability," she added.
Because .asx playlists open automatically within a browser, hackers would only need to coax users to a malicious
[Only Registered and Activated Users Can See Links. Click Here To Register...] to snatch their systems. Microsoft has offered no workarounds or other tactical advice.
The Media Player vulnerability was first reported Nov. 22 by
eEye Digital Security, which originally listed it as only a denial-of-service risk. Other security vendors, including
[Only Registered and Activated Users Can See Links. Click Here To Register...] and FrSIRT, posted warnings Thursday.
FrSIRT, which labeled the vulnerability as "critical," advised Windows XP users to upgrade to
[Only Registered and Activated Users Can See Links. Click Here To Register...], disable the .asx format, or
[Only Registered and Activated Users Can See Links. Click Here To Register...] so that playlists don't automatically open within Internet Explorer. Microsoft plans to release six security updates Tuesday, Dec. 12, five of which will involve Windows. In its usual
[Only Registered and Activated Users Can See Links. Click Here To Register...], however, the Redmond, Wash. developer did not say whether the Media Player bug would be fixed this month.
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