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Experts Fear Internet Addressing Flaw Already Being Exploited

by Tim Stevens on July 23, 2008 at 08:33 AM

Experts Fear Internet Addressing Flaw Already Being Exploited

Remember that major DNS flaw we reported about a few weeks back? The one that was patched before it was announced but attacks were feared anyway because some folks are slow to update (or patch) their systems? Well, not one but two separate means for exploiting the flaw have been discovered, and one has already been added to an incredibly popular suite of hacking tools, leading one security expert to believe attacks have already begun.

Dan Kaminsky, a security expert and the guy to originally discover the flaw, believes attacks are happening now. "This attack is very good. [It] is being weaponised out in the field. Everyone needs to patch, please." He's urging network administrators and IT personnel everywhere to upgrade their systems to prevent this flaw, which could allow hackers to redirect traffic meant to go to banks and other secure online sites to anywhere they like.

It's a big step beyond the typical phishing attack, where scammers try to get you to click on a link on a site that looks like the real thing. If those phishers were using this exploit there would be no easy way for you to tell the site you were typing your password into is the real thing! Again, the patch is out there, so hopefully major sites have been fixed, but still it wouldn't hurt to be a little extra cautious for awhile before typing in your info. [Source: BBC News]

Tags: dns, internet, phishing, security

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