Microsoft Access lets in Trojan attack

Code can provide wide access to an unauthorised user, warns Symantec

Security firm Symantec has warned of newly released Trojan software that can attack PCs using Microsoft Access.

The Backdoor.Hesive Trojan can arrive as an Access file by exploiting a Microsoft Jet Database Engine buffer overflow, according to Symantec's advisory.

The code can provide wide access to an unauthorised user, allowing them to upload files, modify Registry values and obtain system and network information.

Microsoft said in an email statement that it is encouraging users to be cautious when opening .mdb files from an unknown source, and that it is working on delivering a patch to solve the problem.

The Trojan is not widely distributed and can be removed easily, according to Symantec. The company rates its damage potential as 'medium'.

The flaw was first detected in April by computer security firm HexView, and is caused by a memory-handling error when parsing database files.