Re: A Very Dangerous Worm in Windows Metafile Images (WMF)

Mike Monett wrote:
>
> To All,
>
> Last night, a very dangerous computer worm was released on the
> internet. It is carried on Windows Metafile images and automatically
> executes with no user interaction. With Microsoft Explorer or
> Outlook, you are automatically infected if you recieve infected
> email or view a site with the worm. The problem is Windows WMF files
> have the capability to execute external code. This is a virus
> writer's dream. He can do anything he wants.

[...]

Update: Opera is not vulnerable. You have to work hard to get infected.

Here is more information from Rijk van Geijtenbeek in the opera.general
newsgroup:

"Opera cannot display WMF files natively, so it is not vulnerable
in itself. With the default configuration Opera opens the download
dialog for such files. If you click 'Open' and the default handler
is the 'MS Picture and fax viewer', you can apparently be infected
by malicious WMF files. So treat WMF files with the same caution
as EXE and BAT etc files, I'd say. And don't change Opera's
settings to directly open such files..."

Go Opera! Beats the pants off MSIE and Firefox.

Mike Monett
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: A Very Dangerous Worm in Windows Metafile Images (WMF)
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