TUCoPS :: Windows :: m-055.txt

Microsoft Unchecked Buffer in Windows Shell (CIAC M-055)

             __________________________________________________________

                       The U.S. Department of Energy
                     Computer Incident Advisory Center
                           ___  __ __    _     ___
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                             INFORMATION BULLETIN

                  Microsoft Unchecked Buffer in Windows Shell
                     [Microsoft Security Bulletin MS02-014]

March 12, 2002 18:00 GMT                                           Number M-055
______________________________________________________________________________
PROBLEM:       An unchecked buffer exists in one of the functions that helps 
               to locate incompletely removed applications on the system. 
PLATFORM:      Microsoft Windows 98 
               Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition 
               Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 
               Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Terminal Server Edition 
               Microsoft Windows 2000 
DAMAGE:        A successful attack would have the affect of either causing the 
               Windows Shell to crash, or causing code to run with the user's 
               permissions. 
SOLUTION:      Apply the patch provided by vendor. 
______________________________________________________________________________
VULNERABILITY  The risk is LOW. The exploit of this vulnerability would allow 
ASSESSMENT:    the code to run in the security context of the user rather than 
               the system. 
______________________________________________________________________________
LINKS: 
 CIAC BULLETIN:      http://www.ciac.org/ciac/bulletins/m-055.shtml 
 ORIGINAL BULLETIN:                                                           
                     http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS02-014.asp 
 PATCHES:            Windows 98 
                     http://www.microsoft.com/Downloads/Release.asp?ReleaseID=37015 
                     Windows NT 4.0 
                     http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?ReleaseID=36867 
                     Windows NT 4.0 with Active Desktop 
                     http://www.microsoft.com/Downloads/Release.asp?ReleaseID=37015 
                     Windows NT 4.0 Terminal Server Edition 
                     http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?ReleaseID=36869 
                     Windows NT 2000 
                     http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?ReleaseID=36880 
______________________________________________________________________________

[***** Start Microsoft Security Bulletin MS02-014 *****]

Unchecked Buffer in Windows Shell Could Lead to Code Execution

Originally posted: March 07, 2002

Summary

Who should read this bulletin: Users of Microsoft® Windows® 98, 98SE, 
Windows NT® 4.0, Windows 2000

Impact of vulnerability: Run code of an attacker's choice

Maximum Severity Rating: Moderate

Recommendation: Customers should apply the patch

Affected Software: 
- Microsoft Windows 98
- Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Terminal Server Edition
- Microsoft Windows 2000

Technical description: 

The Windows Shell is responsible for providing the basic framework 
of the Windows user interface experience.  It is most familiar to 
users as the Windows Desktop, but also provides a variety of other 
functions to help define the user's computing session, including 
organizing files and folders, and providing the means to start 
applications.  

An unchecked buffer exists in one of the functions that helps to 
locate incompletely removed applications on the system.  A security 
vulnerability results because it is possible for a malicious user 
to mount a buffer overrun attack and attempt to exploit this flaw.  
A successful attack would have the affect of either causing the 
Windows Shell to crash, or causing code to run in the user's 
context.

By default, this is not remotely exploitable.  However, under 
very unusual conditions, it could be exploited via a web page.  
Specifically, if the user has installed, then uninstalled an 
application with custom URL handlers, and the application's 
uninstall routine failed to correctly remove the application 
completely, an attacker could attempt to mount an attack by 
constructing an HTML web page that seeks to overrun the buffer.  
Such a web page could be delivered either by posting it on a web 
site or sending it by email.

Mitigating factors:
- In a default installation, this vulnerability is not remotely 
exploitable and could only be exploited by introducing hostile 
code to the system.
- The vulnerability could be remotely exploited only if the user 
has installed and uninstalled software which implements customer 
URL handlers and the software's uninstall routine failed to 
completely remove the application from the system.
- Outlook 98 and 2000 (after installing the Outlook Email Security 
Update), Outlook 2002, and Outlook Express 6 all open HTML mail in 
the Restricted Sites Zone. As a result, customers using these 
products would not be at risk from email-borne attacks.
- The buffer overrun would allow code to run in the security 
context of the user rather than the system. The specific privileges 
the attacker could gain through this vulnerability would therefore
depend on the privileges accorded to the user.

Vulnerability identifier: CAN-2001-0070

Patch availability

Download locations for this patch 
Windows 98 
http://www.microsoft.com/Downloads/Release.asp?ReleaseID=37015 
Windows NT 4.0 
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?ReleaseID=36867 
Windows NT 4.0 with Active Desktop 
http://www.microsoft.com/Downloads/Release.asp?ReleaseID=37015 
Windows NT 4.0 Terminal Server Edition 
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?ReleaseID=36869 
Windows NT 2000 
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?ReleaseID=36880 

Additional information about this patch

Installation platforms: 

The Windows 98 patch can be installed on system running 
Windows 98 and Windows 98SE. 
The Windows NT 4.0 patch can be installed on systems running 
Service Pack 6a. 
The Windows NT 4.0 Terminal Server Edition patch can be 
installed on systems running Windows NT 4.0 TSE Service Pack 6. 
The Windows 2000 patch can be installed on systems running 
Windows 2000 Service Pack 2. 

Inclusion in future service packs:

The fix for this issue will be included in Windows 2000 Service 
Pack 3 

Reboot needed: Yes 

Superseded patches: None. 

Verifying patch installation: 

Windows 98 and 98 SE: 

To verify that the patch has been installed on the machine, select 
Start, then Run, then run the QFECheck utility. If the patch is 
installed, "Windows 98 Q313829 Update" will be listed among the 
installed patches. To verify the individual files, use the file 
manifest provided in Knowledge Base article Q313829. 

Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 6a: 

To verify that the patch has been installed on the machine, confirm 
that the following registry key has been created on the machine: 
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Hotfix\Q313829 
To verify the individual files, consult the file manifest in 
Knowledge Base article Q313829 

Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 6a with Active Desktop: 

To verify that the patch has been installed on the machine, confirm 
that the following registry key has been created on the machine: 
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Hotfix\Q313829. 
To verify the individual files, consult the file manifest in 
Knowledge Base article Q313829 

Windows NT 4.0 Terminal Server Edition Service Pack 6: 

To verify that the patch has been installed on the machine, confirm 
that the following registry key has been created on the machine:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Hotfix\Q313829. 
To verify the individual files, consult the file manifest in 
Knowledge Base article Q313829 

Windows 2000 Service Pack 2: 

To verify that the patch has been installed on the machine, confirm 
that the following registry key has been created on the machine:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Updates\Windows 2000\SP3\Q313829. 
To verify the individual files, use the date/time and version 
information provided in the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Updates\Windows 2000\SP3\Q313829\Filelist 

Caveats:
None 

Localization:
Localized versions of this patch are currently available at the 
locations listed above in "Patch Availability". 

Obtaining other security patches: 
Patches for other security issues are available from the following 
locations: 

Security patches are available from the Microsoft Download Center, 
and can be most easily found by doing a keyword search for 
"security_patch". Patches for consumer platforms are available 
from the WindowsUpdate web site. All patches available via 
WindowsUpdate also are available in a redistributable form from 
the WindowsUpdate Corporate site. 

Other information: 

Acknowledgments
Microsoft thanks eEye Digital Security (http://www.eeye.com) for 
reporting this issue to us and working with us to protect customers.

Support: 

Microsoft Knowledge Base article Q313829 discusses this issue and 
will be available approximately 24 hours after the release of this 
bulletin. Knowledge Base articles can be found on the Microsoft 
Online Support web site. 

Technical support is available from Microsoft Product Support 
Services. There is no charge for support calls associated with 
security patches. Security Resources: The Microsoft TechNet 
Security Web Site provides additional information about security 
in Microsoft products. 

Disclaimer: 
The information provided in the Microsoft Knowledge Base is provided 
"as is" without warranty of any kind. Microsoft disclaims all 
warranties, either express or implied, including the warranties of 
merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. In no event 
shall Microsoft Corporation or its suppliers be liable for any 
damages whatsoever including direct, indirect, incidental, 
consequential, loss of business profits or special damages, even 
if Microsoft Corporation or its suppliers have been advised of the 
possibility of such damages. Some states do not allow the exclusion 
or limitation of liability for consequential or incidental damages 
so the foregoing limitation may not apply. 

Revisions: 
V1.0 (March 07, 2002): Bulletin Created. 

[***** End Microsoft Security Bulletin MS02-014 *****]

_______________________________________________________________________________

CIAC wishes to acknowledge the contributions of Microsoft Corporation 
for the information contained in this bulletin.
_______________________________________________________________________________


CIAC, the Computer Incident Advisory Center, is the computer
security incident response team for the U.S. Department of Energy
(DOE) and the emergency backup response team for the National
Institutes of Health (NIH). CIAC is located at the Lawrence Livermore
National Laboratory in Livermore, California. CIAC is also a founding
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This document was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an
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