Due to the far reaching implications , Security Researchers will typically submit Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability serious 0-day Windows exploits to Microsoft and give the company ample time to patch Vulnerability-related.PatchVulnerability the vulnerabilities before they can be used to create malware and do harm . A security researcher that goes by the Twitter handle SandboxEscaper , however , decided it would be a good idea to expose Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability a 0-day threat to the world on Twitter , without forewarning Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability Microsoft , and even linked to proof on concept code on GitHub that has since been verified as functional . The language in the original Tweet prevents me from directly embedding it here . SandboxEscaper essentially said Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability , “ Here is the alpc bug as 0day ... I do n't * * * * ing care about life anymore . Neither do I ever again want to submit to MSFT anyway ... ” The official post on the CERT/CC website explains Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability , “ The Microsoft Windows task scheduler SchRpcSetSecurity API contains Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability a vulnerability in the handling of ALPC , which can allow a local user to gain SYSTEM privileges . We have confirmed Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability that the public exploit code works on 64-bit Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016 systems . We have also confirmed Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability compatibility with 32-bit Windows 10 with minor modifications to the public exploit code . Compatibility with other Windows versions is possible with further modifications. ” At this point , Microsoft does not have a patch at the ready , but according to reports a fix will be coming Vulnerability-related.PatchVulnerability in the next batch of patch Tuesday updates . Because the exploit requires the local execution of code , it doesn ’ t necessarily warrant an out-of-band update . However , with proof of concept code readily available , it ’ s possible nefarious individuals could trick less savvy users into running the code and gain full access to their systems . As always , never execute any files from unknown or untrusted sources.The bug lies in the Windows Task Scheduler ’ s Advanced Local Procedure Call , or ALPC , interface . It allows a local user to gain system level privileges and have free reign over the system to do whatever they want , including overwriting / modifying system files . Will Dormann of CERT/CC verified Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability the original exploit code works on a fully patched Windows 10 x64 installation and later modified the code to work on 32-bit systems as well .

A Windows zero-day bug has made the news . By zero-day , it means that a vulnerability has been exposed Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability but it is not yet patched Vulnerability-related.PatchVulnerability . Darren Allan in TechRadar was one of the tech watchers reporting Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability on the vulnerability , which could occur through a privilege escalation bug . `` The user linked to a page on GitHub which appears to contain a proof-of-concept ( PoC ) for the vulnerability , '' said Charlie Osborne in ZDNet . `` CERT/CC ( the US cybersecurity organization which looks to counter emerging threats ) has confirmed Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability that this vulnerability can be leveraged against a 64-bit Windows 10 PC which has been fully patched Vulnerability-related.PatchVulnerability up to date , `` said TechRadar , in turn referring to a story in The Register , Richard Chergwin , The Register , had reported Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability that `` CERT/CC vulnerability analyst Will Dormann quickly verified Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability the bug . '' CERT/CC did a formal investigation , and posted an advisory . `` 'Microsoft Windows task scheduler contains Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability a vulnerability in the handling of ALPC , which can allow a local user to gain SYSTEM privileges , ' the alert stated . '' This can be leveraged to gain SYSTEM privileges . We have confirmed Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability that the public exploit code works on 64-bit Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016 systems . We have also confirmed Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability compatibility with 32-bit Windows 10 with minor modifications to the public exploit code . Compatibility with other Windows versions is possible with further modifications . '' Should we worry ? Allan said it is a local bug . The attacker would have to be already logged into the PC to exploit it , or be running code on the machine . But wait . Though local , Ars Technica 's Peter Bright let its readers know what the flaw allows one to do . Not pretty . Bright wrote that `` The flaw allows anyone with the ability to run code on a system to elevate their privileges to 'SYSTEM ' level , the level used by most parts of the operating system and the nearest thing that Windows has to an all-powerful superuser . '' Osborne in ZDNet said that while the impact was limited , `` the public disclosure of a zero-day is still likely a headache for the Redmond giant . ''

Security researchers from Pen Test Partners have discovered Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability pretty glaring security flaws in Aga 's line of smart ovens . According to researchers , these flaws can be exploited Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability via SMS messages . The reason appears to be that Aga management opted to use a GSM SIM module to control its devices , instead of the classic option of using a Wi-Fi module . This SMS-based management feature allows Aga users to turn ovens on or off from remote locations by sending an SMS to their device . In this scenario , an attacker would need a victim 's oven SMS number , but Pen Test Partners researchers say Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability the web-based administration panel contains Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability flaws that allow attackers to scrape for all active SIM card numbers assigned to Aga ovens . There 's no authentication involved with the SMS management commands , meaning anyone could send them , and mess around with people 's `` smart '' ovens . Professional cooking ovens , like the Aga iTotal Control , need hours of warming before reaching optimal cooking temperatures . While attackers could annoy oven owners by turning their ovens off , Pen Test Partners say that an ill-intent miscreant could also turn all known Aga ovens on , and cause a spike in electric energy consumption within an area , albeit this could be an exaggerated claim , as there would need to be thousands of these devices laying around . Besides the non-authenticated SMS-based remote management feature , the research team also discovered Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability other major problems with Aga 's smart ovens . For starters , the Aga web administration panel does n't use HTTPS and forces users to use a five-digit password , one that 's incredibly easy to brute-force . Second , the Aga mobile app also works via HTTP , but even if developers used HTTPS , the app disables certificate validation on purpose , meaning attackers could use any SSL certificate to intercept traffic coming in and to the app . After spending two weeks attempting to alert the UK-based IoT manufacturer , Pen Test Researchers decided to go public Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability with their findings yesterday . Furthermore , Pent Test Partners say that the GSM SIM remote management module used for Aga 's iTotal Control smart oven was created by a company called Tekelek , which also ships similar SMS management components for oil storage tanks , heating systems , process control and medical devices . `` These appear to be monitored using SMS , so I wonder where else this bizarre unauthenticated text messaging process might lead , '' said Ken Munro , Pen Test Partners expert . At the time of writing , and following the public disclosure Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability of the iTotal Control issues , Aga appears to have taken down its web-based administration portal , as Pen Test Partners initially suggested .

Independent security researcher Dawid Golunski has released Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability a proof-of-concept exploit code for an unauthenticated remote code execution vulnerability in WordPress 4.6 ( CVE-2016-10033 ) , and information about an unauthorized password reset zero-day vulnerability ( CVE-2017-8295 ) in the latest version of the popular CMS . The vulnerability exists in Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability the PHPMailer library , and can be exploited Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability by unauthenticated remote attackers to gain access to and compromise an target application server on which a vulnerable WordPress Core version is installed ( in its default configuration ) . “ No plugins or non-standard settings are required to exploit the vulnerability , ” Golunski noted . The hole has been responsibly disclosed Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability to the WordPress Foundation , and has been plugged Vulnerability-related.PatchVulnerability in January , with the release of WordPress 4.7.1 . Still , according to the Foundation ’ s own numbers , nearly 11 percent of all WordPress installation out there are still stuck on the vulnerable version 4.6 . And , as Golunski noted Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability , it ’ s possible that older WordPress versions are also affected Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability by the same flaw , so the percentage of vulnerable installations could be considerably higher : Admins who still run these older versions of the popular CMS should upgrade Vulnerability-related.PatchVulnerability to newer versions , ideally to the latest one ( v4.7.4 ) . Still , even that might not be a guarantee against compromise , as Golunski has also publicly released Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability information and POC code for an unauthorized password reset vulnerability ( CVE-2017-8295 ) that the WordPress Foundation is yet to patch Vulnerability-related.PatchVulnerability . According to him and BeyondSecurity , whose SecuriTeam coordinated the disclosure Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability of the flaw to the WordPress developers , the discovery Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability of the vulnerability dates back to mid-2016 . Golunski found Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability it in version 4.3.1 of the CMS . “ WordPress has a password reset feature that contains Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability a vulnerability which might in some cases allow attackers to get hold of the password reset link without previous authentication . Such attack could lead to an attacker gaining unauthorized access to a victim ’ s WordPress account , ” BeyondSecurity explained . “ The vulnerability stems from WordPress using untrusted data by default when creating a password reset e-mail that is supposed to be delivered only to the e-mail associated with the owner ’ s account. ” Golunski says Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability that the issue was reported Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability to the WordPress security team multiple times , but they did not confirm whether it has been patched Vulnerability-related.PatchVulnerability . He ultimately decided to publish Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability his findings , and offer Vulnerability-related.PatchVulnerability a temporary solution ( “ users can enable UseCanonicalName to enforce static SERVER_NAME value ” ) .

Details on serious vulnerabilities in a number of routers freely distributed by a major Thai ISP were published on Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability Monday after private disclosures Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability made to the vendors in July went unanswered . Researcher Pedro Ribeiro of Agile Information Security found Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability accessible admin accounts and command injection vulnerabilities in ZyXel and Billion routers distributed by TrueOnline , Thailand ’ s largest broadband company . Ribeiro said Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability he disclosed Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability the vulnerabilities through Beyond Security ’ s SecuriTeam Secure Disclosure Program , which contacted the affected vendors last July . Ribeiro published Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability a proof of concept exploit yesterday as well . Ribeiro told Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability Threatpost he ’ s unsure whether TrueOnline introduced Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability the vulnerabilities as it adds its own customization to the routers , or whether they came from the respective manufacturers . A ZyXel representative told Threatpost the router models are no longer supported and would not comment on whether patches were being developed Vulnerability-related.PatchVulnerability . A request for comment from Billion was not returned in time for publication . The commonality between the routers appears to be that they ’ re all based on the TC3162U system-on-a-chip manufactured by TrendChip . Affected routers are the ZyXel P660HN-T v1 and P660HN-T v2 , and Billion 5200 W-T , currently in distribution to TrueOnline customers . The TC3162U chips run two different firmware variants , one called “ ras ” which includes the Allegro RomPage webserver vulnerable to the Misfortne Cookie attacks , and the other called tclinux . The tclinux variant contains the vulnerabilities found Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability by Ribeiro , in particular several ASP files , he said Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability , are vulnerable Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability to command injection attacks . He also cautions that they could be also vulnerable to Misfortune Cookie , but he did not investigate this possibility . “ It should be noted that tclinux contains files and configuration settings in other languages ( for example in Turkish ) . Therefore it is likely that these firmware versions are not specific to TrueOnline , and other ISP customised routers in other countries might also be vulnerable , ” Ribeiro said in his advisory . “ It is also possible that other brands and router models that use the tclinux variant are also affected Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability by the command injection vulnerabilities ( the default accounts are likely to be TrueOnline specific ) ” . In addition to Ribeiro ’ s proof-of-concept , Metasploit modules are available Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability for three of the vulnerabilities . Most of the vulnerabilities can be exploited Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability remotely , some without authentication . “ These vulnerabilities are present in the web interface . The default credentials are part of the firmware deployed by TrueOnline and they are authorized to perform remote access over the WAN , ” Ribeiro said . “ Due to time and lab constraints I was unable to test whether these routers expose the web interface over the WAN , but given the credentials , it is likely ” . The ZyXel P660HN-T v1 router is vulnerable Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability to an unauthenticated command injection attack that can be exploited remotely . Ribeiro said Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability he found Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability the vulnerability in the remote system log forwarding function , specifically in the ViewLog.asp page . V2 of the same router contains Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability the same vulnerability , but can not be exploited Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability without authentication , he said . “ Unlike in the P660HN-Tv1 , the injection is authenticated and in the logSet.asp page . However , this router contains a hardcoded supervisor password that can be used to exploit this vulnerability , ” Ribeiro said . “ The injection is in the logSet.asp page that sets up remote forwarding of syslog logs , and the parameter vulnerable to injection is the serverIP parameter ” . The Billion 5200W-T is also vulnerable Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability to unauthenticated and authenticated command injection attacks ; the vulnerability was found Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability in its adv_remotelog.asp page . “ The Billion 5200W-T router also has several other command injections in its interface , depending on the firmware version , such as an authenticated command injection in tools_time.asp ( uiViewSNTPServer parameter ) , ” Ribeiro said . It should be noted that this router contains several hardcoded administrative accounts that can be used to exploit this vulnerability ” . Ribeiro said default and weak admin credentials were found on the all of the versions and were accessible remotely . The researcher said it ’ s unknown whether the routers can be patched remotely . “ Again , given the existence of default credentials that have remote access , it is likely that it is possible to update the firmware remotely , ” Ribeiro said . Most of iBall baton routers in India are also vulnerable Vulnerability-related.DiscoverVulnerability to unauthenticated and authenticated command injection attack , i have reason to believe default and weak admin credentials are on the all of the versions and were accessible remotely . i Have I “ Ball WRA150N ” ADSL2+ iBall baton Router.And IBall is never accepting not even taking response to complains and request for latest firmware patches . ASUS patched Vulnerability-related.PatchVulnerability a bug that allowed attackers to pair two vulnerabilities to gain direct router access and execute commands as root . Thanks to Meltdown and Spectre , January has already been an extremely busy month of patching Vulnerability-related.PatchVulnerability for Microsoft .