1. Introduction
Ares Fileshare Detection indicates that a peer-to-peer filesharing application is installed on a Windows host. Ares Fileshare allows users to download and share files directly with each other, bypassing central servers. This poses a risk to businesses as it can introduce malware, legal liabilities from copyright infringement, and consume significant network bandwidth. It affects systems running the Windows operating system where the software has been installed. A successful exploit could lead to data compromise or unauthorized access.
2. Technical Explanation
Ares Fileshare is a P2P application that connects to networks like Gnutella and OpenFT, enabling file sharing. It’s considered unsuitable for business environments due to security risks and legal concerns. Nessus cannot determine the installed version of Ares Fileshare, but some versions are known to have remotely exploitable vulnerabilities (Bugtraq 14377). An attacker could exploit these vulnerabilities to gain control of a compromised system or access sensitive data shared via the application.
- Root cause: The presence of an insecure P2P filesharing application on the host.
- Exploit mechanism: Attackers can leverage known vulnerabilities in Ares Fileshare versions, potentially gaining remote code execution.
- Scope: Windows operating systems with Ares Fileshare installed.
3. Detection and Assessment
To confirm a system is vulnerable, first check for the presence of the application. A thorough method involves reviewing installed programs and network traffic.
- Quick checks: Check the list of installed programs in Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features for “Ares”.
- Scanning: Nessus vulnerability ID 16849 can detect Ares Fileshare. Other scanners may have similar signatures.
- Logs and evidence: Look for Ares-related processes or network connections using tools like Process Explorer or Wireshark.
wmic product get name | findstr "Ares"4. Solution / Remediation Steps
Remove the program from the remote host to fix the issue. Follow these steps for a safe and effective removal.
4.1 Preparation
- Services: No services need to be stopped.
- Roll back plan: Reinstalling Ares Fileshare is possible, but not recommended due to security risks.
4.2 Implementation
- Step 1: Uninstall Ares Fileshare through Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features.
4.3 Config or Code Example
This vulnerability does not involve configuration changes.
4.4 Security Practices Relevant to This Vulnerability
Several security practices can help prevent this type of issue. These include application whitelisting and a robust patch management process.
- Practice 1: Application whitelisting prevents unauthorized software like Ares Fileshare from being installed in the first place.
- Practice 2: Regularly review installed applications to identify and remove potentially risky programs.
4.5 Automation (Optional)
PowerShell can be used to uninstall Ares Fileshare at scale, but requires caution.
# Requires elevated privileges
Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_Product | Where-Object {$_.Name -like "*Ares*"} | Uninstall-Package5. Verification / Validation
Confirm the fix by checking for the absence of Ares Fileshare and verifying that it is no longer running.
- Post-fix check: Run `wmic product get name | findstr “Ares”` – this should return no results.
- Re-test: Re-run the Nessus scan (ID 16849) to confirm that Ares Fileshare is no longer detected.
- Smoke test: Verify basic system functionality, such as internet access and application launching, remains unaffected.
- Monitoring: Monitor event logs for any unexpected errors related to file sharing or network connectivity.
wmic product get name | findstr "Ares"6. Preventive Measures and Monitoring
Update security baselines and implement application control policies to prevent unauthorized software installations. For example, use Group Policy to block Ares Fileshare installation.
- Baselines: Update a security baseline or policy to include restrictions on P2P filesharing applications.
- Pipelines: Implement application whitelisting in CI/CD pipelines to prevent unauthorized software from being deployed.
- Asset and patch process: Regularly review installed applications on systems to identify and remove potentially risky programs.
7. Risks, Side Effects, and Roll Back
- Risk or side effect 1: User disruption if Ares Fileshare is used for legitimate purposes (unlikely in a business environment).
- Roll back: Reinstalling Ares Fileshare, but this is not recommended due to security risks.
8. References and Resources
Refer to official advisories and documentation for more information on Ares Fileshare vulnerabilities.
- Vendor advisory or bulletin: No official vendor advisory exists as the product is discontinued.
- NVD or CVE entry: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2006-3894
- Product or platform documentation relevant to the fix: No official documentation exists as the product is discontinued.