The Register® — Biting the hand that feeds IT

Feeds

Yahoo! fixes Web mail vuln

Flawed script

  • print
  • alert

Regcast training : Hyper-V 3.0, VM high availability and disaster recovery

Yahoo! has closed a potentially devastating security loophole in its popular Web-based email service.

The script execution vulnerability in the service could have allowed crackers to launch a worm or mobile code attacks using maliciously-constructed email messages.

Yahoo's active content filter is supposed to block the injection of any active content into Yahoo! messages but security firm Finjan Software found this safeguard was easily foiled. Web-based email services from Outblaze and Excite had the same problem.

All three services are now fixed, according to security clearing house CERT.

The flaw would have allowed an attacker to input malicious script into a seemingly normal e-mail message. Potential victims opening a malicious e-mail would be hit with a malicious code attack, providing scripting was enabled on their Web browser.

In addition to destroying files, malicious code attacks could be used to steal personal information.

More info on the malicious script execution security flaw can be found here. ®

Agentless Backup is Not a Myth

More from The Register

 breaking news
Number of cops abusing Police National Computer access on the rise
Only a telegram from the Queen can get you off it
 breaking news
NSA PRISM snoop-gate: Won't someone think of the children, wails Apple
10,000 things probed, mostly about missing kids, Alzheimer patients, we're told
Flash flaw potentially makes every webcam or laptop a PEEPHOLE
But it's a Google problem - Chrome only, insists Adobe
 breaking news
NSA PRISM-gate: Relax, GCHQ spooks 'keep us safe', says Cameron
Whatever they are up to, it's all above board, we're told
PRISM snitch claims NSA hacked Chinese targets since 2009
Snowden suddenly looks safer in Hong Kong after revelations
 breaking news
US chief spook: Look, we only want to spy on 6.66 BEELLLION of you
Americans assured they are not in the NSA's sights
Speech-to-text drives motorists to distraction
Will talking to you mean I crash into that car up ahead, Siri?
 breaking news
Yahoo! joins! rivals! in! PRISM! data! request! admission!
Keep calm and carry on using American tech firms, folks
DHS warns of vulns in hospital medical equipment
Has your doctor's anasthesia machine been hacked?
 breaking news
'BadNews is malware' says outfit that found it
Google says code harmless but Lookout says code base is evolving