Computer Security: 0-day exploit for MS-Word

Computer Security: 0-day exploit for MS-Word

It seems that once again Microsoft Windows users are in big trouble (aren't they always?). Chinese hackers have written an exploit for an unknown vunerability in Microsoft Word and released it into the wild.
As usual it spreads by email, a simple Word document that some users are still dumb enough to open.

When you open the file, it executes code that will install a backdoor in the computer, it also replaces the word executable file for a new version. Further more it reports to remote servers giving information about the computer and also connects to certain IP addresses to receive commands from malicious users.

Since it was an unknown vunerability no anti-virus yet detects the signature of this malicious code. Even in a fully patched windows system, along with a firewall and anti-virus software this exploit will be sucessful in dropping the backdoor. Although strict firewall policies might detect and disallow incoming or outgoing connections related with this backdoor.

If you want to read more about it, check the following links:

• News at eweek.com
• Discussion at slashdot