Adware Installed through WMA Files

Hi All:

PC World has a pair of articles about a potentially dangerous new development on the spyware/adware front: WMA (Windows Media) files being used to install adware and spyware. See:

Risk Your PC's Health for a Song?
»Links Gonna Be Posted in a few

Protect Yourself From Audio Adware
»Links Gonna Be Posted in a few

In short, the well-known copyright management/protection firm Overpeer has figured out how to install adware through Windows Media files. The technique exploits features of the Windows Media DRM functionality to launch special Internet Explorer windows that display popup ads and that also attempt to download and install adware/spyware. This happens when the user opens the Windows Media file for playing.

Some might be tempted to dismiss this new method for distributing adware and spyware as a risk only for those using P2P networks. That snap judgement would be a mistaken and misguided one, though. The P2P file sharing angle on this story is a red herring.

The problem here involves the DRM features of Windows Media, and those features create a new and potentially very effective means for adware vendors to push unwanted software on unsuspecting users who have no interest whatsoever in using P2P networks to trade unauthorized music files.

I should caution readers that the PC World article, while detailed, is still short on specifics and that we still need more information. That said, users should be advised to take the usual steps to protect themselves against adware and spyware. At a minimum that involves:

* locking down Internet Explorer (esp. ActiveX controls, Java applets, and scripting);
* installing spyware prevention utilities such as SpywareBlaster and SpywareGuard;
* installing at least two reputable anti-spyware scanners and keeping them updated;
* keeping your system updated through Windows Update.

In addition to the above, PC World recommends tweaking the settings for Windows Media Player:


said by PC World:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Change windows Media Player setting to give you more warning. Select Tool, Options, Privacy and turn off 'Acquire licenses automatically for protected content'. A dialog box then will warn you each time a protected file attempts to get a license, and it will display the URL from which the file intends to request the license. If you have any doubts about the site, choose 'No.' Changing this setting in Windows Media Player will affect any other players you use that support Microsoft's DRM scheme.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Also, it *appears* that merely switching your default browser to something other than Internet Explorer will not be sufficient to eliminate the threat, as Windows Media Player uses the Internet Explorer engine to open browser windows that function as dialog boxes. Even if you're not actively using Internet Explorer, you should lock it down to prevent its being exploited by rogue WMA files.

If and when more information becomes available, I'll post it to this thread.

* I DID Not Find This Just Informin You! *