Re: about.blank virus

From: cquirke (MVP Win9x) (cquirkenews_at_nospam.mvps.org)
Date: 04/28/04 

Date: Wed, 28 Apr 2004 05:16:10 +0200

On Sat, 24 Apr 2004 12:30:06 -0700, "Trafton"

>What virus are you referring to, exactly?

Could be CoolWebSearch; it "infects" (troj's) About:Blank

>"joe" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

>> This virus is plaguing people all over the place...where
>> the hell is tha patch already?

The problem isn't About: Blank, which is the normal thing IE uses when
you don't want it trying to dial up every time you load it to open
HTML files saved to HD, etc.

The problem is that some malware change the contents of About: Blank
so that it includes their malicious content. This may be invisible
but malicious anyway, thanks to the wonders of scripts and other
active content... and as About: Blank is a file on the local HD, it's
likely to be processed in "anything goes" local HD (in)security zone.

If IE had a clue, it would have an option to start with NO page,
rather than loading a file that can be leveraged as a run point.

But, there you are.

>-- Risk Management is the clue that asks:
      "Why do I keep open buckets of petrol next to all the
      ashtrays in the lounge, when I don't even have a car?"
>----------------------- ------ ---- --- -- - - - -

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