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AUSCERT External Security Bulletin Redistribution
ESB-2006.0042 -- [Win]
Symantec Norton SystemWorks Protected Recycle Bin Exposure
13 January 2006
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AusCERT Security Bulletin Summary
---------------------------------
Product: Norton SystemWorks
Norton SystemWorks Premier
Publisher: Symantec
Operating System: Windows
Impact: Provide Misleading Information
Reduced Security
Access: Existing Account
Original Bulletin:
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/security/Content/2006.01.10.html
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SYM06-002
January 10, 2006
Symantec Norton Protected Recycle Bin Exposure
Revision History
None
Risk Impact
Low
Remote Access No
Local Access Yes
Authentication Required Yes
Exploit publicly available N/A
Overview
Norton SystemWorks contains a feature called the Norton Protected Recycle
Bin, which resides within the Microsoft Windows Recycler directory. The
Norton Protected Recycle Bin includes a directory called NProtect, which
is hidden from Windows APIs. Files in the directory might not be scanned
during scheduled or manual virus scans. This could potentially provide
a location for an attacker to hide a malicious file on a computer.
Symantec has released a product update that will now display the previously
hidden NProtect directory in the Windows interface.
Affected Product(s)
Product Version Solution
Norton SystemWorks 2006 Run LiveUpdate
2005 Run LiveUpdate
Norton SystemWorks Premier 2006 Run LiveUpdate
2005 Run LiveUpdate
Details
The NProtect directory is used to store temporary copies of files that
the user has deleted or modified. This feature supplements the Windows
Recycle Bin, creating a temporary backup of certain types of files that
the Windows Recycle Bin does not back up. The Norton Protected Recycle
Bin allows the user to recover these protected files if they are
accidentally deleted.
NProtect is hidden from the Windows FindFirst/FindNext APIs. Since the
hidden directory is not visible to Windows, files in the directory might
not be scanned during scheduled or manual virus scans. Files in the
NProtect directory are scanned by on-access scanners like Symantec's
Auto-Protect, and by the on-access scanners of other vendors' products.
When NProtect was first released, hiding its contents helped ensure that
a user would not accidentally delete the files in the directory. In light
of current techniques used by malicious attackers, Symantec has
re-evaluated the value of hiding this directory. We have released an
update that will make the NProtect directory visible inside the Windows
Recycler directory. With this update, files within the NProtect directory
will be scanned by scheduled and manual scans as well as by on-access
scanners like Auto-Protect.
The NProtect directory will continue to function as it always has, and
users will continue to have the ability to enable or disable the feature
through the Norton Protected Recycle Bin user interface.
Symantec Response
Symantec product engineers have developed and released an update for
products affected by this exposure. The update is available through
Symantec LiveUpdate by running a manual update. To manually update via
Symantec LiveUpdate, users should:
* Open Norton SystemWorks
* Click on LiveUpdate
* Run LiveUpdate until all available Symantec product updates are
downloaded and installed
This update will require a system reboot.
Symantec is not aware of any attempts by hackers to conceal malicious
code in the NProtect folder. This update is provided proactively to
eliminate the possibility of that type of activity.
As a part of normal best practices, users should keep vendor-supplied
patches for all application software and operating systems up-to-date.
Symantec recommends customers update their products to protect against
any probability of this type of threat.
Credit
Symantec would like to thank Mark Russinovich of Sysinternals
(www.sysinternals.com) and the F-Secure Blacklight team
(www.f-secure.com/blacklight/) for their cooperation in working with us
on this issue.
Symantec takes the security and proper functionality of its products
very seriously. As founding members of the Organization for Internet
Safety (OISafety), Symantec follows the principles of responsible
disclosure. Symantec also subscribes to the vulnerability guidelines
outlined by the National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC). Please
contact secure@symantec.com if you feel you have discovered a potential
or actual security issue with a Symantec product. A Symantec Product
Security team member will contact you regarding your submission.
Symantec has developed a Product Vulnerability Handling Process document
outlining the process we follow in addressing suspected vulnerabilities
in our products. We support responsible disclosure of all vulnerability
information in a timely manner to protect Symantec customers and the
security of the Internet as a result of vulnerability. This document is
available from the location provided below.
Symantec strongly recommends using encrypted email for reporting
vulnerability information to secure@symantec.com. The Symantec Product
Security PGP key can be obtained from the location provided below.
Symantec-Product-Vulnerability-Response Symantec Vulnerability Response Policy
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/security/Symantec-Product-Vulnerability-Response.pdf
Symantec Product Vulnerability Management PGP Key Symantec Product
Vulnerability Management PGP Key
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/security/Symantec-Vulnerability-Management-Key.asc
Copyright (c) 2006 by Symantec Corp.
Permission to redistribute this alert electronically is granted as long
as it is not edited in any way unless authorized by Symantec Security
Response. Reprinting the whole or part of this alert in any medium other
than electronically requires permission from secure@symantec.com.
Disclaimer
The information in the advisory is believed to be accurate at the time
of publishing based on currently available information. Use of the
information constitutes acceptance for use in an AS IS condition. There
are no warranties with regard to this information. Neither the author
nor the publisher accepts any liability for any direct, indirect, or
consequential loss or damage arising from use of, or reliance on, this
information.
Symantec, Symantec products, Symantec Security Response, and SymSecurity
are registered trademarks of Symantec Corp. and/or affiliated companies
in the United States and other countries. All other registered and
unregistered trademarks represented in this document are the sole property
of their respective companies/owners.
Initial Post on: Tuesday, 10-Jan-06 11:47:00
Last modified on: Tuesday, 10-Jan-06 14:32:53
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