So all the malware writer has to do now is figure out how to do the
initial exploit in the first place, that would then allow them to muck
with path statements or place code in path executable areas. I mean, do
you get it, yet? If the malware writer figures out how do the initial
exploit, anything can be done, not just the path tricks.

My WhereWindowsMalwareHides
document(http://weblog.infoworld.com/securityadviser/archives/2006/05/up

dated_where_w.html)contains over 145 different tricks and locations
where malware can hide and live, along with the path trick. Your point
is a valid point, but it's been a known issue for years.

You can't skip over the hardest part, the initial exploit, and start
picking on one of over a hundred ways to muck with Windows users and
call "IE 7 a Spyware Writer's Heaven". I mean you can, but it looks like
you're grasping at straws. At least tell us something new, and not
something that's been documented for years.

Roger

-----Original Message-----
From: Eliah Kagan [mailto:degeneracypressure (at) gmail (dot) com [email concealed]]
Sent: Friday, November 03, 2006 9:26 PM
To: full-disclosure (at) lists.grok.org (dot) uk [email concealed]; bugtraq (at) securityfocus (dot) com [email concealed]
Subject: Re: Internet Explorer 7 - Still Spyware Writers' Heaven

On 11/2/06, Roger A. Grimes wrote:
> So, if you're statement is accurate that malware would need to be
> placed in a directory identified by the PATH statement, we can relax
> because that would require Administrator access to pull off. Admin
> access would be needed to modify the PATH statement appropriately to
> include the user's desktop or some other new user writable location or

> Admin access would be needed to copy a file into the locations
> indicated by the default PATH statement.

It would not require *administrator* access--non-administrator users can
still add things to their own PATHs, just not to the universal, system
PATH. (See Control Panel > System > Advanced > Environment
Variables.)

-Eliah

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