NOS Microsystems Adobe getPlus Helper ActiveX control stack buffer overflows

Overview

The NOS Microsystems Adobe getPlus Helper ActiveX control contains stack buffer overflows, which can allow a remote, unauthenticated attacker to execute arbitrary code on a vulnerable system.

Description

NOS Microsystems getPlus is download management software that is used to install Adobe Reader and Flash on Windows systems. The getPlus Helper ActiveX control, which is provided by gp.ocx, contains stack buffer overflows in several initialization parameters.

Impact

By convincing a user to view a specially crafted HTML document (e.g., a web page or an HTML email message or attachment), an attacker may be able to execute arbitrary code.

Solution

Please see Adobe Security Bulletin APSB10-02. Although this vulnerability is addressed in 1.6.2.49 of the getPlus Helper control, the control is removed when the system is restarted. Therefore, it may be possible for an attacker to convince the user to install the vulnerable version of the control, even on a system that has installed the fixed control at some point. Please consider the following workarounds:

Disable the getPlus Helper ActiveX control in Internet Explorer

The getPlus Helper ActiveX control can be disabled in Internet Explorer by setting the kill bit for the following CLSID:

{E2883E8F-472F-4fb0-9522-AC9BF37916A7}
More information about how to set the kill bit is available in Microsoft Support Document 240797. Alternatively, the following text can be saved as a .REG file and imported to set the kill bit for this control:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\ActiveX Compatibility\{E2883E8F-472F-4fb0-9522-AC9BF37916A7}]
"Compatibility Flags"=dword:00000400
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\ActiveX Compatibility\{E2883E8F-472F-4fb0-9522-AC9BF37916A7}]
"Compatibility Flags"=dword:00000400
Disable ActiveX

Disabling ActiveX controls in the Internet Zone (or any zone used by an attacker) appears to prevent exploitation of this and other ActiveX vulnerabilities. Instructions for disabling ActiveX in the Internet Zone can be found in the “Securing Your Web Browser” document.

Vendor Information

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Adobe __ Affected

Notified: November 04, 2009 Updated: January 12, 2010

Status

Affected

Vendor Statement

We have not received a statement from the vendor.

Vendor Information

Please see Adobe Security Bulletin APSB10-02.

Vendor References

• http://www.adobe.com/support/security/bulletins/apsb10-02.html

Addendum

Please disable the vulnerable control.

If you have feedback, comments, or additional information about this vulnerability, please send us email.

CVSS Metrics

Group	Score	Vector
Base
Temporal
Environmental

References

http://www.adobe.com/support/security/bulletins/apsb10-02.html

Acknowledgements

This vulnerability was reported by Will Dormann of the CERT/CC.

This document was written by Will Dormann.

Other Information

CVE IDs:	CVE-2009-3958
Severity Metric:	3.65 Date Public: