CVE-2008-5542

Sunbelt VIPRE 3.1.1832.2 and possibly 3.1.1633.1, when Internet Explorer 6 or 7 is used, allows remote attackers to bypass detection of malware in an HTML…

published December 12, 2008

CVSS
—
EPSS
2%
Percentile
79.9
In the wild
Unconfirmed
What it is

🚨 A crafty MZ header can disguise malicious payloads, allowing malware to slip past Sunbelt VIPRE when using Internet Explorer 6 or 7! ⚠️ Think of it like a sneaky package shipped without a return address. The delivery person might not check what's inside, and if the label is misleading, it could go straight to the recipient without any questions asked! This means that attackers could potentially evade detection while delivering nasty malware directly to unsuspecting users. If they successfully exploit this vulnerability, it could lead to data breaches or compromised systems, leaving users vulnerable to a range of threats!

Put simply

Think of it like a sneaky package shipped without a return address. The delivery person might not check what's inside, and if the label is misleading, it could go straight to the recipient without any questions asked! The vulnerability arises when remote attackers embed an MZ header in an HTML document, misleading the antivirus into thinking it's safe. By renaming the file to have no extension, a .txt, or .jpg, the malicious payload may go undetected by the antivirus software.

What to do

This means that attackers could potentially evade detection while delivering nasty malware directly to unsuspecting users. If they successfully exploit this vulnerability, it could lead to data breaches or compromised systems, leaving users vulnerable to a range of threats! To safeguard against this, consider switching to a more modern browser that isn't vulnerable and ensure users are aware of the risks of opening files with deceptive names. Keeping antivirus software up to date and enabling heuristic scanning can also help catch these sneaky threats! You've got this! Stay vigilant, and you'll keep your systems safe! 🛡️

The record
Technical detail
CVSS
Not scored
CVSS v4.0
Not supplied
EPSS
0.01938 · 79.9th percentile
Published
2008-12-12T18:13Z
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 12 DEC 18:13Z
    Sunbelt VIPRE 3.1.1832.2 and possibly 3.1.1633.1, when Internet Explorer 6 or 7 is used, allows remote attackers to bypass detection of malware in an HTML…
    cvelistv5