Database server + Simple file sharing = bad news

[iago]

Useful for any Windows administrator to read:

Hey all,
I've just put up a paper on a curious flaw that appears when running a
database server on Windows XP with Simple File Sharing enabled. The flaw
essentially allows a remote attacker to gain access to the database,
sometimes with DBA privileges, without knowledge of a valid password. To be
honest, no-one is really to blame; it's just one of those cases where you
take two disparate mechanisms, shake them up, add a dash of lime and serve
up. The paper can be found here
http://www.databasesecurity.com/dbsec-papers.htm and is entitled "Database
Servers on Windows XP and the Unintended Consequences of Simple File
Sharing". It doubles-up as my entry for the "Longest Title" award.
Cheers,
David Litchfield
http://www.databasesecurity.com/
http://www.ngssoftware.com/

[Joe]

That's scary.

[Mythix]

Thanks for the tip, I had to double check the systems at the network i administrate at, never thought of that problem before :)