:: Deepquest ::

The Global Name Registry confirmed that its .name Web site was hacked over the weekend, blaming the attack on the company’s move to relaunch its services. GNR representatives said the site, which administers registration of .name Web domains, was attacked a few days after Thanksgiving.
The hackers exploited a hole in one of the software packages used to maintain the site, but a representative from the registry indicated that the situation did not cause major damage to its overall operations.

Hackers also attacked the Debian Project, exploiting a flaw in the core Linux software, or kernel, to compromise four of the open-source software project’s development servers. During several intrusions on Nov. 19, the flaw enabled an attacker who already had access to a server to remove the limitations that protected the system from everyday users. The technique is known as a privilege escalation.

Members of the development team found the flaw in September and fixed the latest version of the kernel. The fix came a bit late, however. The latest version of the kernel, 2.4.23, was released Friday, eight days after the Debian breach.

Meanwhile, a new glitch in one of Microsoft’s server software packages is causing headaches for some small businesses. The problem affects all customers who installed SharePoint Services after Nov. 24, preventing it from installing properly.

SharePoint, which is used to create a company intranet, is included as part of the standard and premium editions of the recently launched Small Business Server 2003 package, which also includes the Windows Server 2003 operating system and Microsoft Exchange e-mail software.

Microsoft was also battling newly discovered security flaws in Internet Explorer that could let attackers invade a user’s PC. When used together, the flaws could allow an attacker to execute malicious code on a user’s PC.

more from [url=http://news.com.com/2100-1083-5113677.html?tag=nefd_lede]News dot com[/url]