Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-006

Mitigating factors for cross-site scripting attacks:

• An attacker who successfully exploited the cross-site scripting aspect of this vulnerability would gain only the same permissions as the user.

Mitigating factors for putting spoofed content in a user’s Web browser cache:

• Clients who have turned on the Do not save encrypted pages to disk advanced Internet option in Internet Explorer would not be at risk from any attempts to put spoofed content into the client cache if they accessed their Web site through the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol.

Mitigating factors for putting spoofed content in an intermediate proxy server cache”

• Clients who use SSL-protected connections to access the affected Web sites would not be vulnerable to attempts to put spoofed content on intermediate proxy server caches. This is because SSL session data is encrypted and is not cached on intermediate proxy servers.
• If spoofed content is successfully put in an intermediate proxy server’s cache, it could be difficult for an attacker to predict which users would be served the spoofed cached content.
• An attacker must be able to log on the affected Web site to try to exploit this vulnerability. If you do not allow anonymous access to your Web site, only authenticated users could try to exploit this vulnerability.

We have not identified any workarounds for this vulnerability.

What is the scope of the vulnerability?
This is a cross-site scripting and spoofing vulnerability. The cross-site scripting vulnerability could allow an attacker to convince a user to run a malicious script. If this malicious script is run, it would execute in the security context of the user. Attempts to exploit this vulnerability require user interaction. This vulnerability could allow an attacker access to any data on the affected systems that was accessible to the individual user.

It may also be possible for an attacker to exploit the vulnerability to modify Web browser caches and intermediate proxy server caches and to put spoofed content in those caches.

What causes the vulnerability?
The affected software does not completely validate input that is provided to a HTML redirection query before it sends this input to the browser.

What is Windows SharePoint Services for Windows Server 2003?
Windows SharePoint Services lets teams create Web sites for information sharing and document collaboration, benefits that help increase individual and team productivity. Available as a separate download, Windows SharePoint Services 2003 is a component of the Windows Server 2003 information worker infrastructure and provides team services and sites to Microsoft Office System and other desktop programs. It also serves as a platform for application development. For more information about Windows SharePoint Services, visit the following Microsoft Web site.

What is SharePoint Team Services from Microsoft?
SharePoint Team Services from Microsoft provides both Web publishing and collaboration features to make communicating ideas and sharing information easier. SharePoint Team Services is a superset of Microsoft FrontPage Server Extensions 2002, and includes all the features that are available with the server extensions. Additionally, SharePoint Team Services contains new workgroup features that create a rich environment for Web publishing and team communication. By using SharePoint Team Services, administrators can create, author, and administer Web sites that help a team organize and advance on a project. For more information about SharePoint Team Services, visit the following Microsoft Web site. FrontPage Server Extensions 2002 are not vulnerable to this issue.

What might an attacker use the vulnerability to do?
An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could perform cross-site scripting attacks, display spoofed responses to users, or redirect server responses to another user.

How could an attacker exploit the vulnerability?
An attacker could create an e-mail message that is specially crafted to try to exploit this vulnerability. An attacker could exploit the vulnerability by sending this specially crafted e-mail message to a user of a server that is running an affected software application. An attacker could then persuade the user to click a link in the e-mail message.

It may also be possible to exploit the vulnerability to modify Web browser caches and intermediate proxy server caches and to put spoofed content in those caches.

Could the vulnerability be exploited over the Internet?
Yes. An attacker could try to exploit this vulnerability over the Internet.

What does the update do?
The update removes the vulnerability by modifying the way that the affected software validates input that is provided to an HTTP redirection query before it sends this input to the client.

When this security bulletin was issued, had this vulnerability been publicly disclosed?
No. Microsoft had not received any information indicating that this vulnerability had been publicly disclosed when this security bulletin was originally issued.

When this security bulletin was issued, had Microsoft received any reports that this vulnerability was being exploited?
No. Microsoft had not received any information indicating that this vulnerability had been publicly used to attack customers and had not seen any examples of proof of concept code published when this security bulletin was originally issued.

Important: Before you install this update, make sure that the following requirement has been met:

• Windows SharePoint Services 2003 Service Pack 1 must be installed. For additional information about how to install Windows SharePoint Services Service Pack 1, visit the following Microsoft Web site.

Inclusion in Future Service Packs:

The fix for this issue will be included in a future service pack.

Restart Requirement

This update does not require a restart. The installer stops the required services, applies the update, and then restarts the services. However, if the required services cannot be stopped for any reason, or if required files are being used, this update will require a restart. If this behavior occurs, a message appears that advises you to restart."

Removal Information

After you install the update, you cannot remove it. To revert to an installation before the update was installed, you must remove the application, and then install it again from the original CD-ROM.

Windows Update Web Site

We recommend that you install this update by using the Microsoft Update Web site. Access the same updates and downloads available from Windows Update, plus updates for Office and other Microsoft applications.

For detailed information about how to manually install this update please review the following section.

Installation Information

The security update supports the following setup switches:

/Q Specifies quiet mode, or suppresses prompts, when files are being extracted.

/Q:U Specifies user-quiet mode, which presents some dialog boxes to the user.

/Q:A Specifies administrator-quiet mode, which does not present any dialog boxes to the user.

/T: <full path> Specifies the target folder for extracting files.

/C Extracts the files without installing them. If /T: path is not specified, you are prompted for a target folder.

/C: <Cmd> Override Install Command defined by author. Specifies the path and name of the setup .inf or .exe file.

/R:N Never restarts the computer after installation.

/R:I Prompts the user to restart the computer if a restart is required, except when used with /Q:A.

/R:A Always restarts the computer after installation.

/R:S Restarts the computer after installation without prompting the user.

/N:V No version checking - Install the program over any earlier version.

Note These switches do not necessarily work with all updates. If a switch is not available, that functionality is required for the correct installation of the update. Also, using the /N:V switch is unsupported and may result in an unbootable system. If the installation is unsuccessful, you should contact your support professional to understand why it could not install.

For additional information about the supported setup switches, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 197147.

Client Deployment Information

1. Download this security update.
2. Click Save this program to disk, and then click OK.
3. Click Save.
4. Using Windows Explorer, find the folder that contains the saved file, and then double-click the saved file.
5. If you are prompted to install the update, click Yes.
6. Click Yes to accept the License Agreement.
7. Insert your original source CD-ROM if you are prompted to do so, and then click OK.
8. When you receive a message that states the installation was successful, click OK.

Note If the security update is already installed on your computer, you receive the following error message: This update has already been applied or is included in an update that has already been applied.

Client Installation File Information

The English version of this update has the file attributes that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.

Windows SharePoint Services for Windows Server 2003:

Verifying that the Update Has Been Applied

• File Version Verification

  Note Because there are several versions of Microsoft Windows, the following steps may be different on your computer. If they are, see your product documentation to complete these steps.

  1. Click Start, and then click Search.
  2. In the Search Results pane, click All files and folders under Search Companion.
  3. In the All or part of the file name box, type a file name from the appropriate file information table, and then click Search.
  4. In the list of files, right-click a file name from the appropriate file information table, and then click Properties.
     
     Note Depending on the version of the operating system or programs installed, some of the files that are listed in the file information table may not be installed.
  5. On the Version tab, determine the version of the file that is installed on your computer by comparing it to the version that is documented in the appropriate file information table.
     
     Note Attributes other than the file version may change during installation. Comparing other file attributes to the information in the file information table is not a supported method of verifying that the update has been applied. Also, in certain cases, files may be renamed during installation. If the file or version information is not present, use one of the other available methods to verify update installation.

Important: Before you install this update, make sure that the following requirements have been met:

• Microsoft Windows Installer 2.0 must be installed. Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Windows XP and Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 (SP3) include Windows Installer 2.0 or a later version. To install the latest version of the Windows Installer, visit one of the following Microsoft Web sites:

  Windows Installer 2.0 for Windows 2000 and Windows NT 4.0

• Office XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) for SharePoint Team Services must be installed. Before you install this update, install Office XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) for SharePoint Team Services. For additional information about how to install Office XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) for SharePoint Team Services, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 839025. The full-file update can also be installed on systems that are running Office XP Service Pack 2 for Office Web Components or Office XP Service Pack 3 for SharePoint Team Services.

Inclusion in Future Service Packs:

The fix for this issue will be included in a future service pack.

Restart Requirement

This update does not require a restart. The installer stops the required services, applies the update, and then restarts the services. However, if the required services cannot be stopped for any reason, or if required files are being used, this update will require a restart. If this behavior occurs, a message appears that advises you to restart."

If you install the update by using the Office Update Web site you may need to restart the affected system. To avoid the restart requirement follow the steps in the “Office Update Web Site” section of this bulletin.

Removal Information

After you install the update, you cannot remove it. To revert to an installation before the update was installed, you must remove the application, and then install it again from the original CD-ROM.

Office Update Web Site

We recommend that you install the client updates by using the Office Update Web site. The Office Update Web site detects your particular installation and prompts you to install exactly what you must have to make sure that your installation is completely up-to-date.

To have the Office Update Web site detect the required updates that you must install on your computer, visit the Office Update Web site, and then click Check for Updates. After detection is complete, you will receive a list of recommended updates for your approval. Click Start Installation to complete the process.

Note When you install the update by using the Office Update Web site you will need to restart the affected system unless you stop both the iisreset service and the sptimer service before installing the update. To avoid the server restart requirement, follow these steps:

1. On the Windows Start menu, click Run.
2. In the Open box, type “CMD” (without the quotes) and then click OK.
3. At the command prompt, follow these steps:
   • Type “net stop iisadmin /y” (without the quotes) and press ENTER.
   • Type “net stop sptimer” (without the quotes) and press ENTER.
4. Install the update by using the Office Update Web site
5. At the command prompt, follow these steps:
   • Type “net start w3svc” (without the quotes) and press ENTER.
   • Type “net start sptimer” (without the quotes) and press ENTER.
6. Type “Exit” (without the quotes) to return to Windows.

For detailed information about how to manually install this update please review the following section.

Installation Information

The security update supports the following setup switches:

/Q Specifies quiet mode, or suppresses prompts, when files are being extracted.

/Q:U Specifies user-quiet mode, which presents some dialog boxes to the user.

/Q:A Specifies administrator-quiet mode, which does not present any dialog boxes to the user.

/T: <full path> Specifies the target folder for extracting files.

/C Extracts the files without installing them. If /T: path is not specified, you are prompted for a target folder.

/C: <Cmd> Override Install Command defined by author. Specifies the path and name of the setup .inf or .exe file.

/R:N Never restarts the computer after installation.

/R:I Prompts the user to restart the computer if a restart is required, except when used with /Q:A.

/R:A Always restarts the computer after installation.

/R:S Restarts the computer after installation without prompting the user.

/N:V No version checking - Install the program over any earlier version.

Note These switches do not necessarily work with all updates. If a switch is not available, that functionality is required for the correct installation of the update. Also, using the /N:V switch is unsupported and may result in an unbootable system. If the installation is unsuccessful, you should contact your support professional to understand why it could not install.

For additional information about the supported setup switches, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 197147.

Client Deployment Information

1. Download the client version of this security update.

   Or download the full-file version of this security update.

2. Click Save this program to disk, and then click OK.
3. Click Save.
4. Using Windows Explorer, find the folder that contains the saved file, and then double-click the saved file.
5. If you are prompted to install the update, click Yes.
6. Click Yes to accept the License Agreement.
7. Insert your original source CD-ROM if you are prompted to do so, and then click OK.
8. When you receive a message that states the installation was successful, click OK.

Note If the security update is already installed on your computer, you receive the following error message: This update has already been applied or is included in an update that has already been applied.

Client and Full-File Installation File Information

The English version of this update has the file attributes that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.

SharePoint Team Services from Microsoft (client and full-file update):

Verifying that the Update Has Been Applied

• Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer

  To verify that a security update is installed on an affected system you may be able to use the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) tool, which allows administrators to scan local and remote systems for missing security updates and for common security misconfigurations. For more information about MBSA, visit the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer Web site.

• File Version Verification

  Note Because there are several versions of Microsoft Windows, the following steps may be different on your computer. If they are, see your product documentation to complete these steps.

  1. Click Start, and then click Search.
  2. In the Search Results pane, click All files and folders under Search Companion.
  3. In the All or part of the file name box, type a file name from the appropriate file information table, and then click Search.
  4. In the list of files, right-click a file name from the appropriate file information table, and then click Properties.
     
     Note Depending on the version of the operating system or programs installed, some of the files that are listed in the file information table may not be installed.
  5. On the Version tab, determine the version of the file that is installed on your computer by comparing it to the version that is documented in the appropriate file information table.
     
     Note Attributes other than the file version may change during installation. Comparing other file attributes to the information in the file information table is not a supported method of verifying that the update has been applied. Also, in certain cases, files may be renamed during installation. If the file or version information is not present, use one of the other available methods to verify update installation.