Rule Category

BROWSER-PLUGINS -- Snort has detected suspicious browser plugin traffic, likely targeting the ActiveX plugin in Internet Explorer, though this could apply to any browser. Attackers have refined techniques to smuggle extensions into the Chrome Web Store, which they can then modify remotely once downloaded to add or activate malicious or spyware features. This can be similar to a Potentially Unwanted Application, as valuable data and network access is often allowed on a phone or browser without proper investigation. Some extensions also mimic more well-known and trusted ones (AdBlock, etc.)

Alert Message

BROWSER-PLUGINS Microsoft Internet Explorer MSN Heartbeat 2 ActiveX clsid access

Rule Explanation

This event is generated when an attempt is made to exploit a known vulnerability in an ActiveX control. Impact: A successful attack can cause a buffer overflow and the subsequent execution of arbitrary code with system level privileges on a vulnerable host. Details: A vulnerability exists in the way that Internet Explorer handles ActiveX controls that may present an attacker with the opportunity to run code of their choosing on a host. In particular, this event is generated when a call to the component MSN Heartbeat 2 is made. This may indicate an attempt to exploit known vulnerabilities in that ActiveX control which may lead to a system compromise. Ease of Attack: Simple.

What To Look For

No information provided

Known Usage

No public information

False Positives

No known false positives

Contributors

Cisco Talos Alex Kirk Nigel Houghton

Rule Groups

No rule groups

CVE

None

Additional Links

Rule Vulnerability

No information provided

CVE Additional Information

This product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.

None