Newsbits


Email bug spurs manufacturers into quick action

NetShift Software Ltd is pleased to confirm that the integrated kiosk email package that is included in NetShift is not vulnerable to the potential security problem that is revealed in the following article.

Public kiosk operators can be reassured that the security of their kiosk has always driven the design of NetShift and that once again its unique email client has demonstrated its superiority over using browser or webpage based systems.

Microsoft and other software companies have moved very quickly to try and calm concerns over a loophole in most email packages that allows attachments with very long file names to crash a user's system. In addition, there is a chance that a malicious hacker could dump code onto a user's machine through the same loophole. Neither Microsoft or Netscape have heard of instances of this happening yet, but both are concerned enough to acknowledge the loophole as 'serious' and Microsoft has already posted a patch on its Web site. It will also post a second patch as it says that the first doesn't solve all the problems.

The problem isn't specific to Microsoft or Netscape products though, it's a general email problem and all manufacturers are likely to have to put their products through testing to make sure whether they are affected. Netscape has acknowledged that its email client suffers from the same problem, but said that only about 700,000 of its users may be at risk. It has yet to post a patch, but expects it to be available by the end of the week. Analysts have stated that it is unlikely for an average user to inadvertently crash a friend's machine.

It was a Finnish university group OUSPG that first alerted Microsoft to the problem and though reaction from all parties has been fast and furious, this has more to do with the growing dependency of people on email than the likelihood of mass crashing. For more info pop along to NT Bugtrack - http://ntbugtraq.ntadvice.com/

www.microsoft.com

www.netscape.com


Newsbit furnished by:


A: NetShift Software Ltd.
A: Hughenden Yard, Marlborough, Wilts,SN8 1LT, UK
T: +44 (0)1672 511 094
F: +44 (0)1672 511 078
E: [email protected]
W: www.netshift.com

Thanks Tim!


Thanks Kinetic!

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