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Microsoft Security Bulletin MS09-009 - Critical

Vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office Excel Could Cause Remote Code Execution (968557)

Published: | Updated:

Version: 1.1

General Information

Executive Summary

This security update resolves a privately reported vulnerability and a publicly disclosed vulnerability in Microsoft Office Excel. The vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution if the user opens a specially crafted Excel file. An attacker who successfully exploited these vulnerabilities could take complete control of an affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. 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 Critical for all supported editions of Microsoft Office Excel 2000. For all supported editions of Microsoft Office Excel 2002, Microsoft Office Excel 2003, Microsoft Office Excel 2007, Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac, and Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac; all supported versions of Microsoft Office Excel Viewer; and Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack Service Pack 1, this security update is rated Important. For more information, see the subsection, Affected and Non-Affected Software, in this section.

This security update addresses these vulnerabilities by modifying the way that Microsoft Office Excel opens Excel files. For more information about the vulnerability, see the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) subsection for the specific vulnerability entry under the next section, Vulnerability Information.

This security update also addresses the vulnerability first described in Microsoft Security Advisory 968272.

Recommendation. Microsoft recommends that customers apply the update immediately.

Known Issues. None.

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

Office Suite and Other SoftwareComponentMaximum Security ImpactAggregate Severity RatingBulletins Replaced by this Update
Microsoft Office Suites and Components
Microsoft Office 2000 Service Pack 3Microsoft Office Excel 2000 Service Pack 3
(KB959964)
Remote Code ExecutionCriticalMS08-074
Microsoft Office XP Service Pack 3Microsoft Office Excel 2002 Service Pack 3
(KB959988)
Remote Code ExecutionImportantMS08-074
Microsoft Office 2003 Service Pack 3Microsoft Office Excel 2003 Service Pack 3
(KB959995)
Remote Code ExecutionImportantMS08-074
2007 Microsoft Office System Service Pack 1Microsoft Office Excel 2007 Service Pack 1*
(KB959997)
Remote Code ExecutionImportantMS08-074
Microsoft Office for Mac
Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac
(KB968695)
Not applicableRemote Code ExecutionImportantMS08-074
Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac
(KB968694)
Not applicableRemote Code ExecutionImportantMS08-074
Other Office Software
Microsoft Office Excel Viewer 2003 Service Pack 3
(KB959993)
Not applicableRemote Code ExecutionImportantMS08-074
Microsoft Office Excel Viewer
(KB960000)
Not applicableRemote Code ExecutionImportantMS08-074
Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats Service Pack 1
(KB960003)
Not applicable Remote Code ExecutionImportantMS08-074

*For Microsoft Office Excel 2007 Service Pack 1, in addition to security update package KB959997, customers also need to install the security update for Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats Service Pack 1 (KB960003) to be protected from the vulnerabilities described in this bulletin.

Non-Affected Software

Office and Other Software
Microsoft Works 8.5
Microsoft Works 9.0
Microsoft Works Suite 2005
Microsoft Works Suite 2006
Open XML File Format Converter for Mac
Microsoft Office File Converter Pack
Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2003 Service Pack 3
Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 and Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 Service Pack 1 (32-bit editions)
Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 and Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 Service Pack 1 (64-bit editions)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Related to This Security Update

Vulnerability Information

Severity Ratings and Vulnerability Identifiers

Memory Corruption Vulnerability - CVE-2009-0100

Memory Corruption Vulnerability - CVE-2009-0238

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 14, 2009): Bulletin published.
  • V1.1 (April 22, 2009): Added Excel Viewer 2003 Service Pack 3 to the MBSA and SMS tables in the section, Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance. This is an informational change only. There were no changes to the security update binaries or detection logic.