ITinfo: Internet Explorer 5 Security Hole

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Microsoft blows security again

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ERROR: Random File Unopenable

The random file, as specified in the $random_file perl variable was unopenable.

The file was not found on your file system. This means that it has either not been created or the path you have specified in $trrandom_file is incorrect.

Internet Explorer 5 Security Hole

by Dave Murphy
ISSN 1535-3613

Microsoft Corp.'s Internet Explorer 5.0 browser exposes user names & passwords on password-protected ftpsites. Every time IE 5.0 users access such a site, their user name and password are automatically revealed.

For example, when a user clicks on a link to download a file, the specified username and password are transmitted in the clear (unencrypted, non-secure) and are displayed on the status line of the web browser.

Because many downloads may take from a few minutes to more than an hour, the username and password will be visible for an extended time.

Microsoft downplayed the vulnerability and said users are at risk only if an untrusted person is looking over their shoulder during the download; however, Microsoft has agreed to remedy this problem in a future release of their web browser.

What do you think about this security hole? Is it worth being concerned about? Leave your comments on the message center.

Microsoft Corp.
Message Center

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http://itrain.org/itinfo/1999/it99990811.html
updated August 11, 1999