Sourcefire Vulnerability Research Team Protects Users from Latest Microsoft Windows and Office Vulnerabilities

Open source innovator and SNORT(R) creator, Sourcefire, Inc. (Nasdaq:FIRE), a leader in Enterprise Threat Management, announced that the Sourcefire(R) Vulnerability Research Team (VRT) has delivered rules to protect Sourcefire customers and Snort users from 9 Microsoft vulnerabilities disclosed today. These vulnerabilities impact Microsoft Windows, Windows Messenger, Office, Internet Explorer and Outlook Express.

"During the Black Hat Conference last week, a lot of vendors were talking about the importance of immediate detection and early disclosure, and while this is critical, it is only half the story," said Matt Watchinski, Director of the Sourcefire Vulnerability Research Team. "By developing an early disclosure policy, Microsoft is taking the necessary steps to protect its users. Now the vendor community needs to deliver on its responsibility of delivering the most effective protection possible. Sourcefire takes proactive protection extremely seriously, and we will continue to focus on both the quality of our rules, as well as the speed at which we address new threats."

Following Microsoft's disclosure earlier today, the Sourcefire VRT created, tested and delivered Snort rules designed to detect attacks targeting the Microsoft vulnerabilities listed below. These new rules are included in the latest Sourcefire Security Enhancement Update (SEU) released today.

- Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-041 - Critical vulnerability in the ActiveX control for the Snapshot Viewer for Microsoft Access. An attacker could exploit the vulnerability by constructing a specially crafted Web page. When a user views the Web page, the vulnerability could allow remote code execution. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could gain the same user rights as the logged-on user.

- Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-043 - Critical vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office Excel could allow remote code execution if a user opens a specially crafted Excel file. An attacker who successfully exploited these vulnerabilities could take complete control of an affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights.

- Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-044 - Five critical vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution if a user viewed a specially crafted image file using Microsoft Office.

- Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-045 - Five critical vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution if a user views a specially crafted Web page using Internet Explorer.

- Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-046 - Critical vulnerability in the Microsoft Image Color Management (ICM) system could allow remote code execution in the context of the current user. If a user is logged on with administrative user rights, an attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of an affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights.

- Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-048 - Important vulnerability in Outlook Express and Windows Mail could allow information disclosure if a user visits a specially crafted Web page using Internet Explorer.