Security<\/p>\n
Another day, another Windows exploit code<\/p>\n
Nightmare Eclipse, the prolific zero-day vulnerability hunter with an axe to grind against Microsoft, released yet another exploit late Wednesday that the researcher claims will spawn a command prompt that provides total access to the BitLocker volume.<\/p>\n
This bug, called GreatXML<\/a>, was \u201can accidental discovery,\u201d according to the researcher, who said it only took four hours to find. They claim this exploit (published on GitHub<\/a> and Git<\/a>-based code-hosting platforms) can bypass BitLocker on any system that has ever run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan<\/a> at any point in the past.<\/p>\n GreatXML comes just a day after Nightmare released exploit code for RoguePlanet, which allows local privilege escalation and leads to SYSTEM-level control over an affected machine. This brings the researcher\u2019s zero-day count to eight. The earlier six – RedSun<\/a>, UnDefend<\/a>, BlueHammer<\/a>, YellowKey, GreenPlasma,<\/a> and MiniPlasma<\/a> – all have patches as of this week\u2019s Patch Tuesday<\/a> event.\u00a0<\/p>\n Redmond on Wednesday\u00a0told<\/a> The Register that it is aware of RoguePlanet, and \u201cactively investigating the validity and potential applicability of these claims.\u201d The Windows giant didn\u2019t immediately respond to our inquiries about GreatXML, including when it planned to issue a patch.<\/p>\n Microsoft has said none of the vulnerabilities were reported via its official channels prior to being made public. The company also banned Nightmare\u2019s earlier GitHub account, and seemingly threatened legal action<\/a> before dialing back its rhetoric<\/a> after steep backlash from the security community.<\/p>\n Nightmare Eclipse, who some researchers suggest<\/a> is an ex-Microsoft employee, harbors a very personal grudge against the Windows giant and its communications with bug hunters. They have promised to keep the zero-days coming, but waffle on the timing.\u00a0<\/p>\n Last month, the researcher pledged<\/a> a big July 14 drop: \u201cI will make sure your bones are shattered that day,\u201d and then added, \u201cnothing will be released this June (or maybe I will release smtg, depending on circumstances).\u201d<\/p>\n