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Did You Guys Hear...

Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved The Lounge
securityquestion
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  • R realJSOP

    ...that Vista determines what apps should be run with admin privileges based on the name of the executable? If the name of your exe includes "Install", Vista will require admin rights for it to run. If you simple change the name of the exe to something like "Boffo", it will NOT require admin rights to run. Microsoft claims it was a method for preventing malware to run, but now that the malware authors know about it, I guess it's been reduced to yet another pointless "security" feature. Way to go, MS!

    "Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass..." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997
    -----
    "...the staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - Jason Jystad, 10/26/2001

    H Offline
    H Offline
    hairy_hats
    wrote on last edited by
    #20

    This works in XP too - try making a copy of notepad.exe and call it install.exe. :rolleyes:

    N L V 3 Replies Last reply
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    • N NormDroid

      I thought we'd had April Fools :~

      .net is a box of never ending treasures, every day I get find another gem.

      J Offline
      J Offline
      JimmyRopes
      wrote on last edited by
      #21

      Every day is April 1st for the Redmond security team. X| They have come out with some real winners. :rolleyes:

      Simply Elegant Designs JimmyRopes Designs
      Think inside the box! ProActive Secure Systems
      I'm on-line therefore I am. JimmyRopes

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      • R realJSOP

        ...that Vista determines what apps should be run with admin privileges based on the name of the executable? If the name of your exe includes "Install", Vista will require admin rights for it to run. If you simple change the name of the exe to something like "Boffo", it will NOT require admin rights to run. Microsoft claims it was a method for preventing malware to run, but now that the malware authors know about it, I guess it's been reduced to yet another pointless "security" feature. Way to go, MS!

        "Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass..." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997
        -----
        "...the staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - Jason Jystad, 10/26/2001

        D Offline
        D Offline
        Duncan Edwards Jones
        wrote on last edited by
        #22

        But then, what would be a sensible alternative? I thought maybe parsing the imports table for harmful API calls,...but then you'd have to do a whole lot of work going down through the entire imports tree.

        '--8<------------------------ Ex Datis: Duncan Jones Merrion Computing Ltd

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        • H hairy_hats

          This works in XP too - try making a copy of notepad.exe and call it install.exe. :rolleyes:

          N Offline
          N Offline
          NormDroid
          wrote on last edited by
          #23

          So this isn't something new?

          .net is a box of never ending treasures, every day I get find another gem.

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          • R Rajesh R Subramanian

            John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:

            If you simple change the name of the exe to something like "Boffo", it will NOT require admin rights to run.

            Microsoft: "Boffo" added to the list :cool: Now anything with "boffo" in its name will require admin priveleges!

            found at bash.org [kernx]|.|.|.|.|.|.|.| [kernx]sorry, wrong window [beox33]say me why in the f*ck will you type that in any window

            J Offline
            J Offline
            JimmyRopes
            wrote on last edited by
            #24

            brahmma wrote:

            Now anything with "boffo" in its name will require admin priveleges!

            Yes but it won't come out until the next operating system is released! :~ Boffo is safe for a few years at least. :laugh:

            Simply Elegant Designs JimmyRopes Designs
            Think inside the box! ProActive Secure Systems
            I'm on-line therefore I am. JimmyRopes

            1 Reply Last reply
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            • N NormDroid

              So this isn't something new?

              .net is a box of never ending treasures, every day I get find another gem.

              J Offline
              J Offline
              JimmyRopes
              wrote on last edited by
              #25

              norm .net wrote:

              So this isn't something new?

              So you believed the marketing hype that Vista was rewritten from the ground up to make it more secure. :rolleyes:

              Simply Elegant Designs JimmyRopes Designs
              Think inside the box! ProActive Secure Systems
              I'm on-line therefore I am. JimmyRopes

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              • R Rajesh R Subramanian

                No programming discussion in the lounge :p

                found at bash.org [kernx]|.|.|.|.|.|.|.| [kernx]sorry, wrong window [beox33]say me why in the f*ck will you type that in any window

                P Offline
                P Offline
                prasad_som
                wrote on last edited by
                #26

                Oops !


                Prasad MS MVP -  VC++

                1 Reply Last reply
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                • N NormDroid

                  So this isn't something new?

                  .net is a box of never ending treasures, every day I get find another gem.

                  D Offline
                  D Offline
                  David Crow
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #27

                  norm .net wrote:

                  So this isn't something new?

                  No, XP employs the same "feature"


                  "A good athlete is the result of a good and worthy opponent." - David Crow

                  "To have a respect for ourselves guides our morals; to have deference for others governs our manners." - Laurence Sterne

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                  • G gaurav_scr

                    Do you mean if I rename a normal exe file to install.exe then it will ask for admin rights to start?

                    R Offline
                    R Offline
                    realJSOP
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #28

                    According to what I've read, yes.

                    "Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass..." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997
                    -----
                    "...the staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - Jason Jystad, 10/26/2001

                    1 Reply Last reply
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                    • R realJSOP

                      ...that Vista determines what apps should be run with admin privileges based on the name of the executable? If the name of your exe includes "Install", Vista will require admin rights for it to run. If you simple change the name of the exe to something like "Boffo", it will NOT require admin rights to run. Microsoft claims it was a method for preventing malware to run, but now that the malware authors know about it, I guess it's been reduced to yet another pointless "security" feature. Way to go, MS!

                      "Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass..." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997
                      -----
                      "...the staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - Jason Jystad, 10/26/2001

                      S Offline
                      S Offline
                      Steve Thresher
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #29

                      This is a good idea. Honest developers don't need to do anything to their installer other than change the name to get elevated permissions. Spyware programs cannot run without confirmation from the operator. The only problem I can see is if your everyday application is called setup or install which would seem very unlikely. Read this[^] for more information.

                      AxisFirst For Business

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                      • P Pete OHanlon

                        Link please.

                        Deja View - the feeling that you've seen this post before.

                        S Offline
                        S Offline
                        szukuro
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #30

                        http://blogs.msdn.com/onoj/archive/2007/04/20/windows-vista-uac-and-installer-detection.aspx[^]

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                        • H hairy_hats

                          This works in XP too - try making a copy of notepad.exe and call it install.exe. :rolleyes:

                          L Offline
                          L Offline
                          lost in transition
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #31

                          That didn't work. I copied notepad.exe to my desktop, ran it and closed, then renamed it, ran it and closed with no problems.


                          God Bless, Jason
                          Programmer: A biological machine designed to convert caffeine into code.
                          Developer: A person who develops working systems by writing and using software. [^]

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                          • R realJSOP

                            ...that Vista determines what apps should be run with admin privileges based on the name of the executable? If the name of your exe includes "Install", Vista will require admin rights for it to run. If you simple change the name of the exe to something like "Boffo", it will NOT require admin rights to run. Microsoft claims it was a method for preventing malware to run, but now that the malware authors know about it, I guess it's been reduced to yet another pointless "security" feature. Way to go, MS!

                            "Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass..." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997
                            -----
                            "...the staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - Jason Jystad, 10/26/2001

                            B Offline
                            B Offline
                            Bradml
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #32

                            Idiots.


                            Brad Australian - Bradml on "The ADOTD" Hey all, did you just use/read an acronym? Post it HERE, at the ADOTD[^]

                            1 Reply Last reply
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                            • L lost in transition

                              That didn't work. I copied notepad.exe to my desktop, ran it and closed, then renamed it, ran it and closed with no problems.


                              God Bless, Jason
                              Programmer: A biological machine designed to convert caffeine into code.
                              Developer: A person who develops working systems by writing and using software. [^]

                              D Offline
                              D Offline
                              Dario Solera
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #33

                              You should try with a normal user account, not administrator.

                              ________________________________________________ Personal Blog [ITA] - Tech Blog [ENG] - My Photos ScrewTurn Wiki 2.0.4

                              L 1 Reply Last reply
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                              • S Steve Thresher

                                This is a good idea. Honest developers don't need to do anything to their installer other than change the name to get elevated permissions. Spyware programs cannot run without confirmation from the operator. The only problem I can see is if your everyday application is called setup or install which would seem very unlikely. Read this[^] for more information.

                                AxisFirst For Business

                                D Offline
                                D Offline
                                Dave Sexton
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #34

                                Steve Thresher wrote:

                                Honest developers

                                And the dishonest ones?

                                1 Reply Last reply
                                0
                                • S Steve Thresher

                                  This is a good idea. Honest developers don't need to do anything to their installer other than change the name to get elevated permissions. Spyware programs cannot run without confirmation from the operator. The only problem I can see is if your everyday application is called setup or install which would seem very unlikely. Read this[^] for more information.

                                  AxisFirst For Business

                                  J Offline
                                  J Offline
                                  JimmyRopes
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #35

                                  Steve Thresher wrote:

                                  Spyware programs cannot run without confirmation from the operator

                                  Unless they are named Boffo.exe! :rolleyes:

                                  Simply Elegant Designs JimmyRopes Designs
                                  Think inside the box! ProActive Secure Systems
                                  I'm on-line therefore I am. JimmyRopes

                                  A 1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • S Steve Thresher

                                    This is a good idea. Honest developers don't need to do anything to their installer other than change the name to get elevated permissions. Spyware programs cannot run without confirmation from the operator. The only problem I can see is if your everyday application is called setup or install which would seem very unlikely. Read this[^] for more information.

                                    AxisFirst For Business

                                    H Offline
                                    H Offline
                                    hlmechanic
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #36

                                    I hope malware writers don't rename there files to something less suspecious , like say, cute.scr or something becose then it would go right past. Hope they all stay named, oh, virus_installer.exe or something.:wtf:

                                    R S V 3 Replies Last reply
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                                    • R realJSOP

                                      ...that Vista determines what apps should be run with admin privileges based on the name of the executable? If the name of your exe includes "Install", Vista will require admin rights for it to run. If you simple change the name of the exe to something like "Boffo", it will NOT require admin rights to run. Microsoft claims it was a method for preventing malware to run, but now that the malware authors know about it, I guess it's been reduced to yet another pointless "security" feature. Way to go, MS!

                                      "Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass..." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997
                                      -----
                                      "...the staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - Jason Jystad, 10/26/2001

                                      W Offline
                                      W Offline
                                      WillemM
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #37

                                      I knew Vista did that, I find it kinda lame. But at least it works :)

                                      WM. What about weapons of mass-construction? "What? Its an Apple MacBook Pro. They are sexy!" - Paul Watson

                                      1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • R realJSOP

                                        ...that Vista determines what apps should be run with admin privileges based on the name of the executable? If the name of your exe includes "Install", Vista will require admin rights for it to run. If you simple change the name of the exe to something like "Boffo", it will NOT require admin rights to run. Microsoft claims it was a method for preventing malware to run, but now that the malware authors know about it, I guess it's been reduced to yet another pointless "security" feature. Way to go, MS!

                                        "Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass..." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997
                                        -----
                                        "...the staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - Jason Jystad, 10/26/2001

                                        A Offline
                                        A Offline
                                        Anna Jayne Metcalfe
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #38

                                        The alternative would have been for every installer to be modified to include an application manifest with admin privilege levels. Given that this would have been commercial suicide, MS took the safe option - no matter how bodgy it appears. Remember that if an app is deemed as requiring admin permissions and UAC is on you'll get a UAC prompt - the "installer" won't get those permissions automatically. So malware disguised as an installer still needs "some idiot" to press the big red button (which they probably will, but then some people can't be helped...) before it can do it's worst.

                                        Anna :rose: Linting the day away :cool: Anna's Place | Tears and Laughter "If mushy peas are the food of the devil, the stotty cake is the frisbee of God"

                                        R 1 Reply Last reply
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                                        • J JimmyRopes

                                          Steve Thresher wrote:

                                          Spyware programs cannot run without confirmation from the operator

                                          Unless they are named Boffo.exe! :rolleyes:

                                          Simply Elegant Designs JimmyRopes Designs
                                          Think inside the box! ProActive Secure Systems
                                          I'm on-line therefore I am. JimmyRopes

                                          A Offline
                                          A Offline
                                          Anna Jayne Metcalfe
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #39

                                          In which case they don't get admin privileges. As simple a thing as attempting to write to the Local Machine hive will result in E_ACCESS_DENIED. :)

                                          Anna :rose: Linting the day away :cool: Anna's Place | Tears and Laughter "If mushy peas are the food of the devil, the stotty cake is the frisbee of God"

                                          M 1 Reply Last reply
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