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Update Protection against Messenger Information Disclosure Vulnerability (MS08-050)

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Check Point Reference: CPAI-2008-120
Date Published:
Severity:
Last Updated:
Source: Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-050
Industry Reference(s): CVE-2008-0082
Protection Provided by: Security Gateway
  • R70
VPN-1
  • NGX R65
  • NGX R62
  • NGX R61
  • NGX R60
VSX
  • NGX R65
InterSpect
  • NGX
IPS-1
  • IPS-1
  • IPS-1 NGX R65
Who is Vulnerable?
Windows Messenger 4.7
Windows Messenger 5.1
MSN Messenger 7.0.0820
Windows Live Messenger 8.1
Windows Live Messenger 8.5
Vulnerability Description
An information disclosure vulnerability exists in Windows Messenger, MSN Messenger, and Windows Live Messenger, which are popular instant messaging clients for Microsoft Windows. A remote attacker can exploit this issue to take complete control over a victim’s messenger ID.
Update/Patch Available
Apply patches:
Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-050
Vulnerability Details
The vulnerability is caused by an ActiveX control that is marked safe, allowing developers to script it. To trigger this issue, an attacker may create a malicious web page that will exploit this vulnerability. Successful exploitation may allow the attacker to view and change the victim's messenger information (such as state and contact list) and to take complete control over a user's ID.

Protection Overview
By enabling this protection, SmartDefense will detect and block the vulnerable ActiveX Control. Depending on the traffic mix, activating this protection may result in performance degradation.

In order for the protection to be activated, update your VPN-1/InterSpect product to the latest SmartDefense update. For information on how to update SmartDefense, go to SBP-2006-05, Protection tab and select the version of your choice.

To configure the defense, select your product from the list below and follow the related protection steps.

Security Gateway R70

How Can I Protect My Network?
1. In the IPS tab, click Protections > By Protocol > Web Intelligence > HTTP Client Protections > Microsoft Internet Explorer Vulnerabilities.
2. In the right pane, double-click the MSN Messenger UIAutomation ActiveX Control Information Disclosure (MS08-050) protection.
3. In the Protection Details window, click on Edit. Choose the protection's Action (Override IPS Policy with: Prevent/Detect), and apply Additional Settings.
4. Install policy on all modules.

How Do I Know if My Network is Under Attack?
SmartView Tracker will log the following entries:

Attack Name: Web Client Enforcement Violation
Attack Information: MSN Messenger UIAutomation ActiveX control information disclosure (MS08-050)

VPN-1 NGX R65 & R62

How Can I Protect My Network?
1. In the SmartDefense tab, click Web Intelligence > HTTP Client Protections > Microsoft Internet Explorer Vulnerabilities > Block Messenger Information Disclosure Vulnerability (MS08-050).
2. In the configuration pane, under Settings > Mode, check Active.
3. Install policy on all modules.

How Do I Know if My Network is Under Attack?
SmartView Tracker will log the following entries:

Attack Name: Web Client Enforcement Violation
Attack Information: Messenger information disclosure vulnerability (MS08-050)

VPN-1 NGX R61 & R60

How Can I Protect My Network?
1. In the Web Intelligence tree, click HTTP Client Protections > Microsoft Internet Explorer Vulnerabilities.
2. Select the following:

Block Messenger Information Disclosure Vulnerability (MS08-050)

3. Install security policy on all modules.

How Do I Know if My Network is Under Attack?
SmartView Tracker will log the following entries:

Attack Name: Web Client Enforcement Violation
Attack Information: Messenger information disclosure vulnerability (MS08-050)

VPN-1 VSX NGX R65

How Can I Protect My Network?
1. In the SmartDefense tab, click Web Intelligence > HTTP Client Protections > Microsoft Internet Explorer Vulnerabilities > Block Messenger Information Disclosure Vulnerability (MS08-050).
2. In the configuration pane, under Settings > Mode, check Active.
3. Install policy on all modules.

How Do I Know if My Network is Under Attack?
SmartView Tracker will log the following entries:

Attack Name: Web Client Enforcement Violation
Attack Information: Messenger information disclosure vulnerability (MS08-050)

InterSpect NGX

How Can I Protect My Network?
1. In the left pane, select Profiles > Default Protection and select the Web Intelligence page of the profile.
2. In the Web Intelligence tree, click HTTP Client Protections > Microsoft Internet Explorer vulnerabilities.
3. Select the following:

Block Messenger Information Disclosure Vulnerability (MS08-050)

4. Install security policy on all modules.

How Do I Know if My Network is Under Attack?
SmartView Tracker will log the following entries:

Attack Name: Web Client Enforcement Violation
Attack Information: Messenger information disclosure vulnerability (MS08-050)

IPS-1 & IPS-1 NGX R65

How Can I Protect My Network?
1. In the IPS-1 Policy Manager, click on the Protection tab.
2. In the Protection tree, click Application Intelligence > Badfiles, and select the ActiveX Parser protection group.
3. Click CVE-2008-0082 Messenger Information Disclosure Vulnerability (MS08-050) (IPS-1 NGX R65 only).
4. In the configuration pane, under Settings, check Active.
5. Click on Install Policy.

How Do I Know if My Network is Under Attack?
Upon attack, the following entry will be logged:

Alert Name: badfiles_activex
Description: cve_2008_0082_alert