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Press Release
FaceTime Warns Enterprises of New JPEG Virus Propagating Via Instant Messaging
and Peer-to-Peer Networks
IM Security Leader Offers Businesses Free Trial of Its Blocking Solution for
Immediate Protection; Current Customers of
IMAuditor 4.6 (or Higher) Are
Protected
FOSTER CITY, Calif. - September 29, 2004 - FaceTime Communications, the leading
provider of solutions that secure, manage, and extend instant messaging (IM)
and peer-to-peer (P2P) applications, today warned of a new IM and P2P security
threat that is leveraging a buffer overrun vulnerability in the processing of
JPEG image formats that could allow remote code execution on an affected
system. This JPEG vulnerability was reported late last week and documented by
Microsoft at:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms04-028.mspx.
Coincident with the new exploit are this week's SANS Network Security
Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada and Virus Bulletin 2004 in Chicago, Illinois,
where many of the leading network security and virus experts are discussing the
latest threats.
The exploit uses public IM and P2P networks to entice users to download and
view JPEG images infected with the malware. Early reports from the SANS
Institute describe the attackers delivering via the AIM network the message,
"Check out my profile, click GET INFO." Users who click on the link
automatically download the JPEG file and may infect their systems. While a
complete understanding of the actions taken by the malware payload are not yet
known, attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability can hijack
computers to install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new
accounts with full privileges. Any application that relies on GDI+ libraries
for graphics processing, including most Microsoft applications and many third
party applications, is vulnerable. This threat is emerging and will likely
evolve with the attackers using different IM message formats and possibly
sending infected JPEG file transfers.
To protect against this emerging threat, FaceTime advises all businesses to:
-
Download the latest security patches and updates from Microsoft by clicking on
"Tools/Windows Update" or going to
http://v5.windowsupdate.microsoft.com.
-
Temporarily halt all file transfer and IM and P2P traffic until the full extent
of the threat is known with a dedicated IM and P2P blocking device, such as a
product from FaceTime's RTGuardian™ Line. Free trials are now available (see
details below).
-
Advise employees to be especially wary of accepting any instant messages sent
by unknown contacts.
FaceTime customers can:
-
Leverage the RTGuardian Line to block all unauthorized IM and P2P traffic.
-
Upgrade existing IMAuditor™ installations to 5.0 for FaceTime's
patent-pending, challenge-response anti-SPIM mechanism, the only such
technology available that can rebuff this kind of attack.
-
Continue to safely use IM while blocking all file transfers and P2P traffic with
FaceTime's IMAuditor by setting:
-
Allow File Transfer = No
-
Allow Games, P2P, Other = No
-
Leverage as an additional safeguard the content filtering capabilities of
FaceTime's IMAuditor to block the phrase "Check out my profile, click GET
INFO!"
Organizations should also be advised that most existing security solutions,
including firewalls, IDS/IPS systems and URL blocking systems, cannot block IM
and P2P networks due to their port agility, HTTP tunneling capabilities,
browser-based clients and the availability of relays and anonymizers. FaceTime
provides the industry's only solution designed specifically for IM and P2P
applications, which guarantees both full blocking of unauthorized P2P and IM
usage, while managing and meeting the compliance requirements of authorized use
of IM.
To protect against these emerging exploits FaceTime is offering a free
evaluation of:
-
FaceTime RTGuardian, the industry's leading IM and P2P blocking solution,
delivering the broadest P2P protocol support and support for all major IM
networks. RTGuardian is also available in an appliance form factor - the
RTG500.
-
FaceTime IMAuditor, the industry's leading IM security and compliance
solution, used to enable and control authorized IM usage, with its
patent-pending, challenge-response anti-SPIM mechanism and sophisticated
content filtering technology.
Businesses looking to take advantage of this offer can obtain an evaluation
form at www.facetime.com/forms/eval_request.aspx,
call toll-free at (888) 349-FACE (3223), or email
sales@facetime.com.
About FaceTime Communications
FaceTime Communications enables the safe and productive use of instant
messaging, Web usage and Unified Communications platforms. Ranked number one by
IDC for four consecutive years, FaceTime's award-winning solutions are used by
more than 900 customers – including nine of the 10 largest U.S. banks – for
security, management and compliance of real-time communications. FaceTime
supports or has strategic partnerships with all leading public and enterprise
IM network providers, including AOL, Google, Microsoft, Yahoo!, Skype, IBM,
Reuters and Jabber.
FaceTime is headquartered in Belmont, California. For more information visit
http://www.facetime.com or call 888-349-FACE.
The FaceForward blog, at http://blog.facetime.com,
offers thoughts and opinions about the changing nature of Internet communications.
PR Contact:
Emily Chamberlin
650-762-2945
echamberlin@ar-edelman.com
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