Airscanner Software Update August 14, 2007

*** New Windows Mobile SafeMode tool released in alpha version

For power users only! Airscanner has released an alpha version of its new SafeMode tool. This is similar to the safe mode you use on Windows PCs, which has been conspicuously absent in Windows Mobile. The goal is the help you recover from system errors or buggy, 3rd party software, without having to lose your data. NOTE: this is alpha version test software, so please make sure to back up your data before trying it.

You can read the user's manual online here: http://www.airscanner.com/downloads/safemode/SafeMode_Manual.pdf

You can download the test version here: http://www.airscanner.com/downloads/safemode/asmsftool.exe http://www.airscanner.com/downloads/safemode/asmsfOTA.CAB

*** Airscanner protects from Cain and Abel mobile

As a reminder, Airscanner antivirus now protects you from the new malware for Windows Mobile devices known as Cain and Abel. This pesky malware is a malicious port of the Cain and Abel tool. Users who have updated their antivirus are now protected.

*** Direct updater for Windows Mobile

For corporate admins who must update internal devices from behind a firewall, Airscanner has a direct antivirus updater Network admins can use the following links:

Pocket PC 4.2: http://www.airscanner.com/downloads/av/updmavv30/directupd/asmavduppc42.exe
Pocket PC WM 5.0: http://www.airscanner.com/downloads/av/updmavv30/directupd/asmavduppc50.exe
Pocket PC WM 6.0: http://www.airscanner.com/downloads/av/updmavv30/directupd/asmavduppc60.exe
SmartPhone: http://www.airscanner.com/downloads/av/updmavv30/directupd/asmavdusp.exe

*** Airscanner presentations

Airscanner will be presenting at the IT Security World 2007 conference to be held in San Fransisco on Sept 19th. Airscanner VP Seth Fogie will be discussing many of the security issues that Windows Mobile users and developers need to understand. The talk will examine numerous types of vulnerabilities that Airscanner has discovered in Windows Mobile software - from sensitive data leakage to bypassing the security measures of Code Signing via buffer overflows. We will also suggest countermeasures for protection.

*** New book from Airscanner

Airscanner's Seth Fogie has recently co-authored another book (along with Jeremiah Grossman, Robert 'rsnake' Hansen, Anton Rager, and Petko D. 'pdp' Petkov) titled Cross Site Scripting Attacks: Xss Exploits and Defense (http://www.amazon.com/Cross-Site-Scripting-Attacks-Exploits/dp/1597491543). The book examines the ins-and-outs of XSS vulnerabilities and exploits, which not only affect desktop users, but also impacts Windows Mobile users in several ways. Read on for one such example.

*** Advisories

The following describes several vulnerabilities Airscanner has discovered in recent weeks.

Minimo .2 Password Manager Vulnerability - http://airscanner.com/security/07080103_minimo.2.htm

Minimo's (Mozilla for Windows Mobile) Password Manager is vulnerable to sensitive information theft when a site that a user has saved their password for is vulnerable to a cross-site scripting attack. As a result, and attacker can cause the victims browser to post the user/pass of the victim to an listening web server that will capture the users credentials - without the user knowing.

Creative Iye iPassword 3.0 Password Disclosure Vulnerability - http://airscanner.com/security/07080101_ipassword3.htm

iPassword is used as a central data store for passwords and other pieces of sensitive data. To open the 'secure' database, a user must supply a password. However, during the password verification process, the valid password is exposed in memory, thus giving an attacker all they need to open the file. In addition, the security features can be patched to completely bypass all protections.

MyCnknow Eye On Privacy 0.60(2007.04.10) Password Disclosure Vulnerability - http://airscanner.com/security/07080102_eyeonprivacy.htm

Eye On Privacy is used to safely store SMS messages and other sensitive information. However, during the password verification process, the valid password is exposed in memory, thus giving an attacker all they need to open the file. In addition, the security features can be patched to completely bypass all protections.

Airscanner Mobile Security Software: voted Best Security Software for 2005 by the Smartphone and Pocket PC Magazine Board of Industry Experts.

According to this article, "Criminal cyber networks have begun creating viruses to hack into mobile phones in order to steal sensitive information off devices which are increasingly becoming mini-computers in our pockets. "

While a smartphone might look like a simple device, it is actually a mobile computer - more powerful than your desktop of 10 years ago. Keep this in mind as you surf the Internet and open attachments!

If you think you have problems, imagine being a prince. According to this article, the prince had his phone hacked by News of the World.

The details are sketchy, yet I know for a fact that this type of hack is not only possible, but probable. The point is that it doesn't matter who you are, your phone is vulnerable...

This obviously doesn't apply to Airscanner customers. However, you might want to think of your friends and relatives!

A recent report lists a few scary details of the 1000 people surveyed:

• 44 percent admitted that they do not keep security issues in mind as they surf the Web via their phones.
• 45 percent of those interviewed admitted that they have already fallen victim to malware attacks.
• 39 percent admitted that they click on a URLs carried in mobile emails without first considering the security implications.

Ouch.

Do you take smartphone security seriously?

BlackHat 2009 (Vegas) has caused quite a stir in the mobile security community. Thanks in part to the recent release of the iPhone 3GS, mobile devices are finally becoming a target for researchers and malware writers. The following two links represent some of the publically available works released at BlackHat

Spoofed Cell Phone Texts Post Malware Threat

Smart Phones, Dumb Security