Microsoft Security Bulletin MS11-021 - Important

Vulnerabilities in Microsoft Excel Could Allow Remote Code Execution (2489279)

Published:

Version: 1.0

General Information

Executive Summary

This security update resolves nine privately reported vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office. The vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution if a user opens a specially crafted Excel file. An attacker who successfully exploited any of these vulnerabilities could gain the same user rights as the logged-on user. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights.

This security update is rated Important for all supported editions of Microsoft Excel 2002, Microsoft Excel 2003, Microsoft Excel 2007, Microsoft Excel 2010, Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac, Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac, and Microsoft Office for Mac 2011; Open XML File Format Converter for Mac; and all supported versions of Microsoft Excel Viewer and Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack. For more information, see the subsection, Affected and Non-Affected Software, in this section.

The update addresses the vulnerabilities by correcting the way that Microsoft Excel manages data structures, validates record information, initializes variables used in memory operations, and allocates buffer space when parsing a specially crafted file. For more information about the vulnerabilities, see the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) subsection for the specific vulnerability entry under the next section, Vulnerability Information.

Recommendation. Customers can configure automatic updating to check online for updates from Microsoft Update by using the Microsoft Update service. Customers who have automatic updating enabled and configured to check online for updates from Microsoft Update typically will not need to take any action because this security update will be downloaded and installed automatically. Customers who have not enabled automatic updating need to check for updates from Microsoft Update and install this update manually. For information about specific configuration options in automatic updating in supported editions of Windows XP and Windows Server 2003, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 294871. For information about automatic updating in supported editions of Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008 R2, see Understanding Windows automatic updating.

For administrators and enterprise installations, or end users who want to install this security update manually, Microsoft recommends that customers apply the update at the earliest opportunity using update management software, or by checking for updates using the Microsoft Update service.

Known Issues. Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 2489279 documents the currently known issues that customers may experience when installing this security update. The article also documents recommended solutions for these issues. When currently known issues and recommended solutions pertain only to specific releases of this software, this article provides links to further articles.

Affected and Non-Affected Software

The following software have been tested to determine which versions or editions are affected. Other versions or editions are either past their support life cycle or are not affected. To determine the support life cycle for your software version or edition, visit Microsoft Support Lifecycle.

Affected Software

Microsoft Office Suite and Other SoftwareComponentMaximum Security ImpactAggregate Severity RatingBulletins Replaced by this Update
Microsoft Office Suites and Components
Microsoft Office XP Service Pack 3Microsoft Excel 2002 Service Pack 3
(KB2466169)
Remote Code ExecutionImportantMS10-080
Microsoft Office 2003 Service Pack 3Microsoft Excel 2003 Service Pack 3
(KB2502786)
Remote Code ExecutionImportantMS10-080
Microsoft Office 2007 Service Pack 2Microsoft Excel 2007 Service Pack 2[1]
(KB2464583)
Remote Code ExecutionImportantMS10-080
Microsoft Office 2010 (32-bit editions)Microsoft Excel 2010 (32-bit editions)
(KB2466146)
Remote Code ExecutionImportantNone
Microsoft Office 2010 (64-bit editions)Microsoft Excel 2010 (64-bit editions)
(KB2466146)
Remote Code ExecutionImportantNone
Microsoft Office for Mac
Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac
(KB2505924)
Not applicableRemote Code ExecutionImportantNone
Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac
(KB2505927)
Not applicableRemote Code ExecutionImportantMS10-087
Microsoft Office for Mac 2011
(KB2525412)
Not applicableRemote Code ExecutionImportantNone
Open XML File Format Converter for Mac
(KB2505935)
Not applicableRemote Code ExecutionImportantMS10-087
Other Microsoft Office Software
Microsoft Excel Viewer Service Pack 2
(KB2466158)
Not applicableRemote Code ExecutionImportantMS10-080
Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats Service Pack 2
(KB2466156)
Not applicableRemote Code ExecutionImportantMS10-080

[1]For Microsoft Excel 2007 Service Pack 2, in addition to security update package KB2464583, customers also need to install the security update for Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats Service Pack 2 (KB2466156) to be protected from the vulnerabilities described in this bulletin.

Non-Affected Software

Office and Other Software
Microsoft Works 9

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Related to This Security Update

Vulnerability Information

Severity Ratings and Vulnerability Identifiers

Excel Integer Overrun Vulnerability - CVE-2011-0097

Excel Heap Overflow Vulnerability - CVE-2011-0098

Excel Record Parsing WriteAV Vulnerability - CVE-2011-0101

Excel Memory Corruption Vulnerability - CVE-2011-0103

Excel Buffer Overwrite Vulnerability - CVE-2011-0104

Excel Data Initialization Vulnerability - CVE-2011-0105

Excel Array Indexing Vulnerability - CVE-2011-0978

Excel Linked List Corruption Vulnerability - CVE-2011-0979

Excel Dangling Pointer Vulnerability - CVE-2011-0980

Update Information

Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance

Security Update Deployment

Other Information

Acknowledgments

Microsoft thanks the following for working with us to help protect customers:

Microsoft Active Protections Program (MAPP)

To improve security protections for customers, Microsoft provides vulnerability information to major security software providers in advance of each monthly security update release. Security software providers can then use this vulnerability information to provide updated protections to customers via their security software or devices, such as antivirus, network-based intrusion detection systems, or host-based intrusion prevention systems. To determine whether active protections are available from security software providers, please visit the active protections Web sites provided by program partners, listed in Microsoft Active Protections Program (MAPP) Partners.

Support

  • Customers in the U.S. and Canada can receive technical support from Security Support or 1-866-PCSAFETY. There is no charge for support calls that are associated with security updates. For more information about available support options, see Microsoft Help and Support.
  • International customers can receive support from their local Microsoft subsidiaries. There is no charge for support that is associated with security updates. For more information about how to contact Microsoft for support issues, visit the International Support Web site.

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 (April 12, 2011): Bulletin published.