Week in Security: Windows Exploit Warning, Cisco Wireless Flaw

%95 Federal officials and security researchers warned that attackers are exploiting the RPC (Remote Procedure Call) interface flaw in Microsoft Windows. CERT/CC said multiple exploits for the vulnerability have been released publicly and that attackers are actively developing improved automated exploit tools. The Department of Homeland Security's National Infrastructure Protection Center warned of the potential for a worm or virus to spread rapidly across the Internet because of the high number of Internet connecting computers running Windows and using high-speed connections. The worm or virus could also carry payloads that exploit other vulnerabilities in switches, routers or servers, the NIPC said. Microsoft issued a patch for the flaw July 16.

%95 Cisco Systems said a vulnerability affecting its IOS-based Cisco Aironet AP1x00 Series Wireless products could cause them to reload. Repeated attacks that exploit the flaw could lead to a prolonged denial-of-service attack, the company said. Cisco is offering free software upgrades to fix the vulnerability.

%95 The Organization for Internet Safety (OIS), a group of vendors and security firms, issued its final version of guidelines for security researchers to work with vendors to investigate and resolve security flaws. OIS has said the guidelines are an attempt to create a framework for handling vulnerabilities and boost Internet security. But Thor Larholm, senior security researcher at PivX Solutions, said the guidelines were developed by and made for software vendors and won't be adopted by the security community at large. "The OIS guidelines are not a practical solution to the problem of vulnerability disclosure, but a political tool that enables the software vendors to point fingers at what they have now labeled nonconforming rogue security researchers that do not play by their rules," he said.

%95 Secure Computing Tuesday said it plans to acquire N2H2, a maker of Internet content-filtering software, in an all-stock deal worth about $19.9 million. Secure Computing executives said the acquisition boosts its market share in the Web filtering space and gives it more than 2,000 new customers. Secure Computing, San Jose, Calif., makes SmartFilter Web filtering software in addition to firewall and authentication products. The deal is expected to close during the fourth quarter.

%95 Symantec said it received an order for summary judgment against CD Micro, Grants Pass, Ore., for infringement of Symantec's trademarks and copyrights. Symantec seeks to recover at least $3.3 million in profits it alleges CD Micro made from the sale of counterfeit copies of Norton SystemWorks Professional Edition software. Symantec said it took legal action against CD Micro in April 2002 after it received spam from CD Micro offering Symantec software at "grossly reduced prices" under a Web site called Free-IRewards.com. An investigation into the offer confirmed the software was counterfeit, Symantec said.

%95 Lurhq, a managed security services provider, said it closed a $3 million round of funding with an investment from former First Union Chairman and CEO Ed Crutchfield. The former bank CEO also will serve as an adviser to Lurhq.

%95 Fiberlink, a provider of remote-access and security solutions, announced a partnership with Neoteris to offer a managed SSL remote-access solution.