Active Directory Vulnerabilities In Microsoft Windows

These vulnerabilities need to be taken seriously, due to the factor that if they are exploited, a DoS attack may take place.

The two vulnerabilities located in Microsoft Windows are:

1. A Memory leak error which exists in the Active Directory LDAP service. It could be exploited in order to hang an affected system. This may occur via specially tampered with LDAP or LDAPS requests, which need to consist of exact OID filters.
2. An error that exists within the Active Directory LDAP service. If this is exploited, the chances are that it may trigger the invalid memory and attackers could then execute arbitrary code. This execution of arbitrary code takes place via specially tampered with LDAP or LDAPS requests.

A malicious character with the correct computer skills will be able to take complete and utter control of an infiltrated system. He will also be able to view, change, modify, create or delete whatever he wishes.

These vulnerabilities were reported in implementations of Active Directory on the Microsoft Windows 2000 Server, Windows Server 2003 as well as the Active Directory Application Mode (ADAM), when it is installed on Windows XP Professional as well as Windows Server 2003.

The affected operating systems

Microsoft Windows XP Professional

Microsoft Windows Storage Server 2003

Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Web Edition

Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition

Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition

Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition

Microsoft Windows 2000 Server

Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server

Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server

The impact of these vulnerabilities may include unauthorized system access as well as DoS attacks. All Windows users will be pleased to know that these vulnerabilities only affect Microsoft Windows 2000 Server systems. This vulnerability has been rated as moderately critical. The solution to this problem is for all users to apply the relevant updates immediately with the use of update management software or the Microsoft Update service.

Source: http://www.pc1news.com/news/0717/active-directory-vulnerabilities-in-microsoft-windows.html#msg

Google Apps gains LDAP support

Google Apps has gained a directory tool designed to simplify and accelerate the setup of this hosted collaboration and communication suite.

With the new Directory Sync, Apps can tap into existing LDAP-based user directories, such as the ones in IBM's Lotus Domino and Microsoft Active Directory, so that administrators don't have to set up a separate directory in the Google suite.

Google Apps has mostly been adopted in small and medium-size companies, and groups within large organizations, although the suite has nabbed large deployments in universities and government settings.

The new tool, which comes from technology Google acquired when it bought Postini, runs behind customers' firewalls and offers a one-way delivery of directory information to Google Apps.

"The utility offers many of the customization settings, tests and simulations originally developed and refined for the Postini directory sync tool," wrote Navneet Goel, Google enterprise product manager, in a blog posting Thursday.

The LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) component is available at no additional cost for administrators of the Premier, Education and Partner versions of Apps.

For detail info: http://www.reuters.com/article/idgSmallBusiness/idUS210295645120090501