Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-050 - Important
Vulnerability in Windows Messenger Could Allow Information Disclosure (955702)
Published:
Version: 1.0
General Information
Executive Summary
This security update resolves a publicly reported vulnerability in supported versions of Windows Messenger. As a result of this vulnerability, scripting of an ActiveX control could allow information disclosure in the context of the logged-on user. An attacker could change state, get contact information, and initiate audio and video chat sessions without the knowledge of the logged-on user. An attacker could also capture the user’s logon ID and remotely log on to the user’s Messenger client impersonating that user.
This security update is rated Important for all supported editions of Microsoft Windows 2000 and Windows XP, and Moderate for all supported versions of Windows Server 2003. For more information, see the subsection, Affected and Non-Affected Software, in this section.
The security update addresses the vulnerability by locking the ActiveX control so that only authorized applications have access to the control. For more information about the vulnerability, see the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) subsection for the specific vulnerability entry under the next section, Vulnerability Information
Recommendation. Microsoft recommends that customers apply the update at the earliest opportunity.
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
| Operating System | Component | Maximum Security Impact | Aggregate Severity Rating | Bulletins Replaced by this Update |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows Messenger 4.7 | ||||
| Windows XP Service Pack 2 and Windows XP Service Pack 3 | Windows Messenger 4.7 (KB946648) | Information Disclosure | Important | None |
| Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2 | Windows Messenger 4.7 (KB946648) | Information Disclosure | Important | None |
| Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 | Windows Messenger 4.7 (KB954723) | Information Disclosure | Moderate | None |
| Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2 | Windows Messenger 4.7 (KB954723) | Information Disclosure | Moderate | None |
| Windows Server 2003 with SP1 for Itanium-based Systems and Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems | Windows Messenger 4.7 (KB954723) | Information Disclosure | Moderate | None |
| Windows Messenger 5.1 | ||||
| Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 | Windows Messenger 5.1 (KB899283) | Information Disclosure | Important | None |
| Windows XP Service Pack 2 and Windows XP Service Pack 3 | Windows Messenger 5.1 (KB899283) | Information Disclosure | Important | None |
| Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2 | Windows Messenger 5.1 (KB899283) | Information Disclosure | Important | None |
| Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 | Windows Messenger 5.1 (KB899283) | Information Disclosure | Moderate | None |
| Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2 | Windows Messenger 5.1 (KB899283) | Information Disclosure | Moderate | None |
| Windows Server 2003 with SP1 for Itanium-based Systems and Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems | Windows Messenger 5.1 (KB899283) | Information Disclosure | Moderate | None |
Non-Affected Software
| Operating System |
|---|
| Windows Vista and Windows Vista Service Pack 1 |
| Windows Vista x64 Edition and Windows Vista x64 Edition Service Pack 1 |
| Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems |
| Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems |
| Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Related to This Security Update
Where are the file information details?
The file information details can be found in Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 955702.
Are other Microsoft Real-Time Collaboration applications, such as Office Communicator, affected by this vulnerability?
No. Other messaging applications are not affected as they do not contain the vulnerable component.
Why is the update for Windows Messenger 4.7 on Windows XP available from Windows Update while the update for Windows Messenger 4.7 on Windows Server 2003 is only available from Download Center?
As with all other components of Windows XP, Windows Messenger 4.7 is delivered with Windows XP. Therefore, this update is available from Windows Update for installation on Windows XP. However, Windows Messenger 4.7 is not delivered with Windows Server 2003, although Windows Messenger 4.7 may be installed optionally on Windows Server 2003. Therefore, Windows Messenger 4.7 is available from Download Center for optional installation on Windows Server 2003. This has been explained in the End User License Agreement for Windows Messenger 4.7 on Windows Server 2003.
How do I check whether the update for Windows Messenger 4.7 has been installed on my system that is running Windows Server 2003?
To verify that an affected version of Windows Messenger 4.7 is running on your Windows Server 2003 system, check that the file version of msgsc.dll starts with 4.7. For supported 32-bit editions of Windows Server 2003, this file is in the path, %ProgramFiles%\messenger\msgsc.dll. For supported x64-based editions of Windows Server 2003, this file is in the path, %ProgramFilesx86%\messenger\msgsc.dll. If the affected version is not running on your Windows Server 2003 system, the update for Windows Messenger 4.7 will not install on your system.
Why is an update for Windows Messenger 4.7 not available for Microsoft Windows 2000?
Windows Messenger 4.7 is not supported on Microsoft Windows 2000. Because of this, no deployment packages are available for Microsoft Windows 2000. However, Windows Messenger 5.1 is supported on Microsoft Windows 2000 and is available from Download Center.
Why is Windows Messenger 5.1 not available from Windows Update?
Windows Messenger 5.1 is available only as an optional component from Download Center. To obtain the latest version of Windows Messenger 5.1, visit Windows Messenger 5.1. See also Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 899283.
Vulnerability Information
Severity Ratings and Vulnerability Identifiers
| Affected Software | Messenger Information Disclosure Vulnerability - CVE-2008-0082 | Aggregate Severity Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Windows Messenger 4.7 | ||
| Windows Messenger 4.7 on Windows XP Service Pack 2 and Windows XP Service Pack 3 | Important Information Disclosure | Important |
| Windows Messenger 4.7 on Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2 | Important Information Disclosure | Important |
| Windows Messenger 4.7 on Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 | Moderate Information Disclosure | Moderate |
| Windows Messenger 4.7 on Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2 | Moderate Information Disclosure | Moderate |
| Windows Messenger 4.7 on Windows Server 2003 with SP1 for Itanium-based Systems and Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems | Moderate Information Disclosure | Moderate |
| Windows Messenger 5.1 | ||
| Windows Messenger 5.1 on Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 | Important Information Disclosure | Important |
| Windows Messenger 5.1 on Windows XP Service Pack 2 and Windows XP Service Pack 3 | Important Information Disclosure | Important |
| Windows Messenger 5.1 on Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2 | Important Information Disclosure | Important |
| Windows Messenger 5.1 on Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 | Moderate Information Disclosure | Moderate |
| Windows Messenger 5.1 on Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2 | Moderate Information Disclosure | Moderate |
| Windows Messenger 5.1 on Windows Server 2003 with SP1 for Itanium-based Systems and Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems | Moderate Information Disclosure | Moderate |
Messenger Information Disclosure Vulnerability - CVE-2008-0082
An information disclosure vulnerability exists in supported versions of Windows Messenger. Scripting of a particular ActiveX control, Messenger.UIAutomation.1, could allow information disclosure from these programs in the context of the logged-on user. An attacker could change state, get contact information, and initiate audio and video chat sessions without the knowledge of the logged-on user. An attacker could also capture the user’s logon ID and remotely log on to the user’s Messenger client as that user.
To view this vulnerability as a standard entry in the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures list, see CVE-2008-0082.
Mitigating Factors for Messenger Information Disclosure Vulnerability - CVE-2008-0082
Mitigation refers to a setting, common configuration, or general best-practice, existing in a default state, that could reduce the severity of exploitation of a vulnerability. The following mitigating factors may be helpful in your situation:
- By default, this ActiveX control, Messenger.UIAutomation.1, is not included in the default allow-list for ActiveX controls in Internet Explorer 7. Only customers who have explicitly approved this control by using the ActiveX opt-in feature are at risk to attempts to exploit this vulnerability. However, if a customer has used this ActiveX control in a previous version of Internet Explorer, then this ActiveX control is enabled to work in Internet Explorer 7, even if the customer has not explicitly approved it using the ActiveX opt-in feature.
- Supported versions of Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Server 2003 for Itanium-based Systems do not ship with the affected versions of Windows Messenger. Therefore, only customers who have installed the affected versions of Windows Messenger on these systems are at risk from this vulnerability.
- Supported versions of Windows Vista ship with Windows Live Messenger but are not vulnerable. Therefore, upgrading to supported versions of Windows Vista and Windows Live Messenger is a mitigating factor.
- An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could gain the same privileges as the logged-on user on Windows Messenger. An attacker could also capture the user’s logon ID and remotely log on to the user’s Messenger client as that user. However, the attacker could not gain the logon ID or credentials of the user on the user’s computer system.
- In a Web-based attack scenario, an attacker could host a Web site that contains a Web page that is used to exploit this vulnerability. In addition, compromised Web sites and Web sites that accept or host user-provided content or advertisements could contain specially crafted content that could exploit this vulnerability. In all cases, however, an attacker would have no way to force users to visit these Web sites. Instead, an attacker would have to convince users to visit the Web site, typically by getting them to click a link in an e-mail message or Instant Messenger message that takes users to the attacker’s Web site.
- By default, all supported versions of Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Outlook Express open HTML e-mail messages in the Restricted sites zone. The Restricted sites zone helps reduce attacks that could try to exploit this vulnerability, by preventing Active Scripting and ActiveX controls from being used when reading HTML e-mail. However, if a user clicks on a link within an e-mail they could still be vulnerable to this issue through the Web-based attack scenario.
- By default, Internet Explorer on Windows Server 2003 runs in a restricted mode that is known as Enhanced Security Configuration. This mode sets the security level for the Internet zone to High. This is a mitigating factor for Web sites that you have not added to the Internet Explorer Trusted sites zone. See the FAQ subsection of this vulnerability section for more information about Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration.
Workarounds for Messenger Information Disclosure Vulnerability - CVE-2008-0082
Workaround refers to a setting or configuration change that does not correct the underlying vulnerability but would help block known attack vectors before you apply the update. Microsoft has tested the following workarounds and states in the discussion whether a workaround reduces functionality:
- Configure Internet Explorer to prompt before running Active Scripting or to disable Active Scripting in the Internet and Local intranet security zone
You can help protect against this vulnerability by changing your settings to prompt before running Active Scripting or to disable Active Scripting in the Internet and Local intranet security zone. To do this, follow these steps:
- In Internet Explorer, click Internet Options on the Tools menu.
- Click the Security tab.
- Click Internet, and then click Custom Level.
- Under Settings, in the Scripting section, under Active Scripting, click Prompt or Disable, and then click OK.
- Click Local intranet, and then click Custom Level.
- Under Settings, in the Scripting section, under Active Scripting, click Prompt or Disable, and then click OK.
- Click OK two times to return to Internet Explorer.
Note Disabling Active Scripting in the Internet and Local intranet security zones may cause some Web sites to work incorrectly. If you have difficulty using a Web site after you change this setting, and you are sure the site is safe to use, you can add that site to your list of trusted sites. This will allow the site to work correctly.
Add sites that you trust to the Internet Explorer Trusted sites zone
After you set Internet Explorer to require a prompt before it runs ActiveX controls and Active Scripting in the Internet zone and in the Local intranet zone, you can add sites that you trust to the Internet Explorer Trusted sites zone. This will allow you to continue to use trusted Web sites exactly as you do today, while helping to protect you from this attack on untrusted sites. We recommend that you add only sites that you trust to the Trusted sites zone.
To do this, follow these steps:
- In Internet Explorer, click Tools, click Internet Options, and then click the Security tab.
- In the Select a Web content zone to specify its current security settings box, click Trusted Sites, and then click Sites.
- If you want to add sites that do not require an encrypted channel, click to clear the Require server verification (https:) for all sites in this zone check box.
- In the Add this Web site to the zone box, type the URL of a site that you trust, and then click Add.
- Repeat these steps for each site that you want to add to the zone.
- Click OK two times to accept the changes and return to Internet Explorer.
Note Add any sites that you trust not to take malicious action on your system. Two in particular that you may want to add are *.windowsupdate.microsoft.com and *.update.microsoft.com. These are the sites that will host the update, and it requires an ActiveX Control to install the update.
Impact of Workaround: There are side effects to prompting before running Active Scripting. Many Web sites that are on the Internet or on an intranet use Active Scripting to provide additional functionality. For example, an online e-commerce site or banking site may use Active Scripting to provide menus, ordering forms, or even account statements. Prompting before running Active Scripting is a global setting that affects all Internet and intranet sites. You will be prompted frequently when you enable this workaround. For each prompt, if you feel you trust the site that you are visiting, click Yes to run Active Scripting. If you do not want to be prompted for all these sites, use the steps outlined in "Add sites that you trust to the Internet Explorer Trusted sites zone”.
- Set Internet and Local intranet security zone settings to “High” to prompt before running ActiveX Controls and Active Scripting in these zones
You can help protect against this vulnerability by changing your settings for the Internet security zone to prompt before running ActiveX controls and Active Scripting. You can do this by setting your browser security to High.
To raise the browsing security level in Internet Explorer, follow these steps:
- On the Internet Explorer Tools menu, click Internet Options.
- In the Internet Options dialog box, click the Security tab, and then click the Internet icon.
- Under Security level for this zone, move the slider to High. This sets the security level for all Web sites you visit to High.
Note If no slider is visible, click Default Level, and then move the slider to High.
Note Setting the level to High may cause some Web sites to work incorrectly. If you have difficulty using a Web site after you change this setting, and you are sure the site is safe to use, you can add that site to your list of trusted sites. This will allow the site to work correctly even with the security setting set to High.
Add sites that you trust to the Internet Explorer Trusted sites zone
After you set Internet Explorer to require a prompt before it runs ActiveX controls and Active Scripting in the Internet zone and in the Local intranet zone, you can add sites that you trust to the Internet Explorer Trusted sites zone. This will allow you to continue to use trusted Web sites exactly as you do today, while helping to protect you from this attack on untrusted sites. We recommend that you add only sites that you trust to the Trusted sites zone.
To do this, follow these steps:
- In Internet Explorer, click Tools, click Internet Options, and then click the Security tab.
- In the Select a Web content zone to specify its current security settings box, click Trusted Sites, and then click Sites.
- If you want to add sites that do not require an encrypted channel, click to clear the Require server verification (https:) for all sites in this zone check box.
- In the Add this Web site to the zone box, type the URL of a site that you trust, and then click Add.
- Repeat these steps for each site that you want to add to the zone.
- Click OK two times to accept the changes and return to Internet Explorer.
Note Add any sites that you trust not to take malicious action on your system. Two in particular that you may want to add are *.windowsupdate.microsoft.com and *.update.microsoft.com. These are the sites that will host the update, and it requires an ActiveX Control to install the update.
Impact of Workaround: There are side effects to prompting before running ActiveX Controls and Active Scripting. Many Web sites that are on the Internet or on an intranet use ActiveX or Active Scripting to provide additional functionality. For example, an online e-commerce site or banking site may use ActiveX Controls to provide menus, ordering forms, or even account statements. Prompting before running ActiveX Controls or Active Scripting is a global setting that affects all Internet and intranet sites. You will be prompted frequently when you enable this workaround. For each prompt, if you feel you trust the site that you are visiting, click Yes to run ActiveX Controls or Active Scripting. If you do not want to be prompted for all these sites, use the steps outlined in "Add sites that you trust to the Internet Explorer Trusted sites zone”.
- Set the killbit for the Messenger.UIAutomation.1 control
You can disable attempts to exploit this vulnerability by setting the kill bit for the control in the registry.
Warning If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use the Registry Editor at your own risk. For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys And Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or view the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe.
Note We recommend backing up the registry before you edit it.
To set the kill bit for a CLSID with a value of {B69003B3-C55E-4b48-836C-BC5946FC3B28}, paste the following text in a text editor such as Notepad. Then, save the file by using the .reg file name extension.
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\ActiveX Compatibility\{B69003B3-C55E-4b48-836C-BC5946FC3B28}]
"Compatibility Flags"=dword:00000400
You can apply this .reg file to individual systems by double-clicking it. You can also apply it across domains by using Group Policy. For more information about Group Policy, visit the following Microsoft Web sites:
- Group Policy Collection
- What is Group Policy Object Editor?
- Core Group Policy Tools and Settings
Impact of workaround. Scripting is disabled for this particular ActiveX control. This will disable Remote Access features from functioning with Messenger.
How to undo the workaround. You can return your system to its original state by performing the following:
Paste the following text in a text editor such as Notepad. Then, save the file by using the .reg file name extension.
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\ActiveX Compatibility\{B69003B3-C55E-4b48-836C-BC5946FC3B28}]
FAQ for Messenger Information Disclosure Vulnerability - CVE-2008-0082
What is the scope of the vulnerability?
This is an information disclosure vulnerability. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could gain the privileges of the logged-on user on Windows Messenger. An attacker could also capture the user’s logon ID and remotely log on to the user’s Messenger client as that user.
What causes the vulnerability?
The vulnerability is caused by an ActiveX control, Messenger.UIAutomation.1, that is marked safe, allowing developers to script this control.
What is the ActiveX opt-in feature in Windows Internet Explorer 7?
Windows Internet Explorer 7 includes an ActiveX opt-in feature, which means that nearly all pre-installed ActiveX controls are off by default. Users are prompted by the Information Bar before they can instantiate a previously installed ActiveX control that has not yet been used on the Internet. This enables a user to permit or deny access on a control-by-control basis. For more information about this and other new features, see the Windows Internet Explorer 7 features page.
I am running Internet Explorer on Windows Server 2003. Does this mitigate this vulnerability?
Yes. By default, Internet Explorer on Windows Server 2003 runs in a restricted mode that is known as Enhanced Security Configuration. This mode sets the security level for the Internet zone to High. This is a mitigating factor for Web sites that have not been added to Internet Explorer Trusted sites zone.
What is the Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration?
Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration is a group of preconfigured Internet Explorer settings that reduce the likelihood of a user or of an administrator downloading and running specially crafted Web content on a server. Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration reduces this risk by modifying many security-related settings. This includes the settings on the Security tab and the Advanced tab in the Internet Options dialog box. Some of the important modifications include the following:
- Security level for the Internet zone is set to High. This setting disables scripts, ActiveX controls, Microsoft Java Virtual Machine (MSJVM), and file downloads.
- Automatic detection of intranet sites is disabled. This setting assigns all intranet Web sites and all Universal Naming Convention (UNC) paths that are not explicitly listed in the Local intranet zone to the Internet zone.
- Install On Demand and non-Microsoft browser extensions are disabled. This setting prevents Web pages from automatically installing components and prevents non-Microsoft extensions from running.
- Multimedia content is disabled. This setting prevents music, animations, and video clips from running.
For more information regarding Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration, see the guide, Managing Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration.
What is a kill bit?
A security feature in Microsoft Internet Explorer makes it possible to prevent an ActiveX control from ever being loaded by the Internet Explorer HTML-rendering engine. This is done by a making a registry setting and is referred to as setting the kill bit. After the kill bit is set, the control can never be loaded, even when it is fully installed. Setting the kill bit makes sure that even if a vulnerable component is introduced or is re-introduced to a system, it remains inert and harmless. For more information on kill bits, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 240797: How to stop an ActiveX control from running in Internet Explorer.
Are MSN Messenger and Windows Live Messenger affected by this issue?
MSN Messenger and Windows Live Messenger are not directly affected by this vulnerability; however users are still vulnerable if they have the affected version of Windows Messenger installed alongside MSN Messenger or Windows Live Messenger on their system. The update for Windows Messenger will secure the system from this issue whether or not MSN Messenger or Windows Live Messenger are installed on the system. Therefore, no new versions of MSN Messenger or Windows Live Messenger are included in the update.
What might an attacker use the vulnerability to do?
An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could change state, get contact information, and initiate audio and video chat sessions without the knowledge of the logged-on user on Windows Messenger. An attacker could also capture the user’s logon ID and remotely log on to the user’s Messenger client as that user.
How could an attacker exploit the vulnerability?
An attacker could host a specially crafted Web site that is designed to exploit this vulnerability through Internet Explorer and then convince a user to visit the Web site. This could also include compromised Web sites and Web sites that accept or host user-provided content or advertisements. These Web sites could contain specially crafted content that could exploit this vulnerability. In all cases, however, an attacker would have no way to force users to visit these Web sites. Instead, an attacker would have to convince users to visit the Web site, typically by getting them to click a link in an e-mail message or in an Instant Messenger message that takes users to the attacker's Web site. It could also be possible to display specially crafted Web content by using banner advertisements or by using other methods to deliver Web content to affected systems.
What systems are primarily at risk from the vulnerability?
All systems that have supported versions of Windows Messenger installed are at risk from this vulnerability, especially workstations and terminal server platforms.
What does the update do?
The update removes the vulnerability by locking the ActiveX control so that only authorized applications as listed on a white list have access to the control. Refer to Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 946648 for more information regarding this list of applications.
When this security bulletin was issued, had this vulnerability been publicly disclosed?
Yes. This vulnerability had been publicly disclosed when this security bulletin was originally issued. It has been assigned the Common Vulnerability and Exposure number CVE-2008-0082.
When this security bulletin was issued, had Microsoft received any reports that this vulnerability was being exploited?
No. Microsoft had not received any information to indicate 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.
Update Information
Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance
Manage the software and security updates you need to deploy to the servers, desktop, and mobile systems in your organization. For more information see the TechNet Update Management Center. The Microsoft TechNet Security Web site provides additional information about security in Microsoft products.
Security updates are available from Microsoft Update, Windows Update, and Office Update. Security updates are also available from the Microsoft Download Center. You can find them most easily by doing a keyword search for "security update."
Finally, security updates can be downloaded from the Microsoft Update Catalog. The Microsoft Update Catalog provides a searchable catalog of content made available through Windows Update and Microsoft Update, including security updates, drivers and service packs. By searching using the security bulletin number (such as, “MS07-036”), you can add all of the applicable updates to your basket (including different languages for an update), and download to the folder of your choosing. For more information about the Microsoft Update Catalog, see the Microsoft Update Catalog FAQ.
Detection and Deployment Guidance
Microsoft has provided detection and deployment guidance for this month’s security updates. This guidance will also help IT professionals understand how they can use various tools to help deploy the security update, such as Windows Update, Microsoft Update, Office Update, the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA), the Office Detection Tool, Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS), and the Extended Security Update Inventory Tool. For more information, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 910723.
Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer
Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) allows administrators to scan local and remote systems for missing security updates as well as common security misconfigurations. For more information about MBSA, visit Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer.
The following table provides the MBSA detection summary for this security update.
| Software | MBSA 2.1 |
|---|---|
| Windows Messenger 4.7 on Windows XP Service Pack 2 and Windows XP Service Pack 3 | Yes |
| Windows Messenger 4.7 on Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2 | Yes |
| Windows Messenger 4.7 on Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 | No |
| Windows Messenger 4.7 on Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2 | No |
| Windows Messenger 4.7 on Windows Server 2003 with SP1 for Itanium-based Systems and Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems | No |
| Windows Messenger 5.1 on Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 | No |
| Windows Messenger 5.1 on Windows XP Service Pack 2 and Windows XP Service Pack 3 | No |
| Windows Messenger 5.1 on Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2 | No |
| Windows Messenger 5.1 on Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 | No |
| Windows Messenger 5.1 on Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2 | No |
| Windows Messenger 5.1 on Windows Server 2003 with SP1 for Itanium-based Systems and Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems | No |
For more information about MBSA 2.1, see MBSA 2.1 Frequently Asked Questions.
Windows Server Update Services
By using Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), administrators can deploy the latest critical updates and security updates for Windows 2000 operating systems and later, Office XP and later, Exchange Server 2003, and SQL Server 2000. For more information about how to deploy this security update using Windows Server Update Services, visit the Windows Server Update Services Web site.
Systems Management Server
The following table provides the SMS detection and deployment summary for this security update.
| Software | SMS 2.0 | SMS 2003 with SUSFP | SMS 2003 with ITMU | Configuration Manager 2007 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows Messenger 4.7 on Windows XP Service Pack 2 and Windows XP Service Pack 3 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Messenger 4.7 on Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2 | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Messenger 4.7 on Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 | No | No | No | No |
| Windows Messenger 4.7 on Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2 | No | No | No | No |
| Windows Messenger 4.7 on Windows Server 2003 with SP1 for Itanium-based Systems and Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems | No | No | No | No |
| Windows Messenger 5.1 on Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 | No | No | No | No |
| Windows Messenger 5.1 on Windows XP Service Pack 2 and Windows XP Service Pack 3 | No | No | No | No |
| Windows Messenger 5.1 on Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2 | No | No | No | No |
| Windows Messenger 5.1 on Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 | No | No | No | No |
| Windows Messenger 5.1 on Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2 | No | No | No | No |
| Windows Messenger 5.1 on Windows Server 2003 with SP1 for Itanium-based Systems and Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems | No | No | No | No |
For SMS 2.0 and SMS 2003, the SMS SUS Feature Pack (SUSFP), which includes the Security Update Inventory Tool (SUIT), can be used by SMS to detect security updates. See also Downloads for Systems Management Server 2.0.
For SMS 2003, the SMS 2003 Inventory Tool for Microsoft Updates (ITMU) can be used by SMS to detect security updates that are offered by Microsoft Update and that are supported by Windows Server Update Services. For more information about the SMS 2003 ITMU, see SMS 2003 Inventory Tool for Microsoft Updates. SMS 2003 can also use the Microsoft Office Inventory Tool to detect required updates for Microsoft Office applications. For more information about the Office Inventory Tool and other scanning tools, see SMS 2003 Software Update Scanning Tools. See also Downloads for Systems Management Server 2003.
System Center Configuration Manager 2007 uses WSUS 3.0 for detection of updates. For more information about Configuration Manager 2007 Software Update Management, visit System Center Configuration Manager 2007.
For more information about SMS, visit the SMS Web site.
For more detailed information, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 910723: Summary list of monthly detection and deployment guidance articles.
Security Update Deployment
Affected Software
For information about the specific security update for your affected software, click the appropriate link:
Windows XP (all editions)
Reference Table
The following table contains the security update information for this software. You can find additional information in the subsection, Deployment Information, in this section.
| Inclusion in Future Service Packs | The update for this issue will be included in a future service pack or update rollup |
| Deployment | |
| Installing without user intervention | For all supported 32-bit editions of Windows XP: Windowsxp-kb946648-x86-enu /quiet |
| For all supported x64-based editions of Windows XP: WindowsServer2003.WindowsXP-kb946648-x64-enu /quiet | |
| Installing without restarting | For all supported 32-bit editions of Windows XP: Windowsxp-kb946648-x86-enu /norestart |
| For all supported x64-based editions of Windows XP: WindowsServer2003.WindowsXP-kb946648-x64-enu /norestart | |
| Update log file | KB946648.log |
| Further information | See the subsection, Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance |
| Restart Requirement | |
| Restart required? | Yes, you must restart your system after you apply this security update. |
| HotPatching | Not applicable |
| Removal Information | Use Add or Remove Programs tool in Control Panel or the Spuninst.exe utility located in the %Windir%\$NTUninstallKB946648$\Spuninst folder |
| File Information | See Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 955702 |
| Registry Key Verification | For all supported 32-bit editions of Windows XP: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Updates\Windows XP\SP4\KB946648\Filelist |
| For all supported x64-based editions of Windows XP: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Updates\Windows Server 2003\SP3\KB946648\Filelist |
Note For supported versions of Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, this security update is the same as the security update for supported versions of the Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition.
Deployment Information
Installing the Update
When you install this security update, the installer checks whether one or more of the files that are being updated on your system have previously been updated by a Microsoft hotfix.
If you have previously installed a hotfix to update one of these files, the installer copies the RTMQFE, SP1QFE, or SP2QFE files to your system. Otherwise, the installer copies the RTMGDR, SP1GDR, or SP2GDR files to your system. Security updates may not contain all variations of these files. For more information about this behavior, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 824994.
For more information about the installer, visit the Microsoft TechNet Web site.
For more information about the terminology that appears in this bulletin, such as hotfix, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 824684.
This security update supports the following setup switches.
| Switch | Description |
|---|---|
| /help | Displays the command-line options. |
| Setup Modes | |
| /passive | Unattended Setup mode. No user interaction is required, but installation status is displayed. If a restart is required at the end of Setup, a dialog box will be presented to the user with a timer warning that the computer will restart in 30 seconds. |
| /quiet | Quiet mode. This is the same as unattended mode, but no status or error messages are displayed. |
| Restart Options | |
| /norestart | Does not restart when installation has completed. |
| /forcerestart | Restarts the computer after installation and force other applications to close at shutdown without saving open files first. |
| /warnrestart[:x] | Presents a dialog box with a timer warning the user that the computer will restart in x seconds. (The default setting is 30 seconds.) Intended for use with the /quiet switch or the /passive switch. |
| /promptrestart | Displays a dialog box prompting the local user to allow a restart. |
| Special Options | |
| /overwriteoem | Overwrites OEM files without prompting. |
| /nobackup | Does not back up files needed for uninstall. |
| /forceappsclose | Forces other programs to close when the computer shuts down. |
| /log:path | Allows the redirection of installation log files. |
| /integrate:path | Integrates the update into the Windows source files. These files are located at the path that is specified in the switch. |
| /extract[:path] | Extracts files without starting the Setup program. |
| /ER | Enables extended error reporting. |
| /verbose | Enables verbose logging. During installation, creates %Windir%\CabBuild.log. This log details the files that are copied. Using this switch may cause the installation to proceed more slowly. |
Note You can combine these switches into one command. For backward compatibility, the security update also supports the setup switches that the earlier version of the Setup program uses. For more information about the supported installation switches, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 262841.
Removing the Update
This security update supports the following setup switches.
| Switch | Description |
|---|---|
| /help | Displays the command-line options. |
| Setup Modes | |
| /passive | Unattended Setup mode. No user interaction is required, but installation status is displayed. If a restart is required at the end of Setup, a dialog box will be presented to the user with a timer warning that the computer will restart in 30 seconds. |
| /quiet | Quiet mode. This is the same as unattended mode, but no status or error messages are displayed. |
| Restart Options | |
| /norestart | Does not restart when installation has completed |
| /forcerestart | Restarts the computer after installation and force other applications to close at shutdown without saving open files first. |
| /warnrestart[:x] | Presents a dialog box with a timer warning the user that the computer will restart in x seconds. (The default setting is 30 seconds.) Intended for use with the /quiet switch or the /passive switch. |
| /promptrestart | Displays a dialog box prompting the local user to allow a restart. |
| Special Options | |
| /forceappsclose | Forces other programs to close when the computer shuts down. |
| /log:path | Allows the redirection of installation log files. |
Verifying That the Update Has Been Applied
- Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer
To verify that a security update has been applied to an affected system, you may be able to use the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) tool. See the section, Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance, earlier in this bulletin for more information.
- File Version Verification
Because there are several editions of Microsoft Windows, the following steps may be different on your system. If they are, see your product documentation to complete these steps.
- Click Start, and then click Search.
- In the Search Results pane, click All files and folders under Search Companion.
- In the All or part of the file name box, type a file name from the appropriate file information table, and then click Search.
- In the list of files, right-click a file name from the appropriate file information table, and then click Properties.
Note Depending on the edition of the operating system, or the programs that are installed on your system, some of the files that are listed in the file information table may not be installed. - On the Version tab, determine the version of the file that is installed on your system 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.
- Registry Key Verification
You may also be able to verify the files that this security update has installed by reviewing the registry keys listed in the Reference Table in this section.
These registry keys may not contain a complete list of installed files. Also, these registry keys may not be created correctly when an administrator or an OEM integrates or slipstreams this security update into the Windows installation source files.
Windows Server 2003 (all editions)
Reference Table
The following table contains the security update information for this software. You can find additional information in the subsection, Deployment Information, in this section.
| Inclusion in Future Service Packs | The update for this issue may be included in a future service pack or update rollup. |
| Deployment | |
| Installing without user intervention | For all supported 32-bit editions of Windows Server 2003: Windowsserver2003-KB954723-x86-enu /quiet |
| For all supported x64-based editions of Windows Server 2003: Windowsserver2003.WindowsXP-KB954723-x64-enu /quiet | |
| For all supported Itanium-based editions of Windows Server 2003: Windowsserver2003-KB954723-ia64-enu /quiet | |
| Installing without restarting | For all supported 32-bit editions of Windows Server 2003: Windowsserver2003-KB954723-x86-enu /norestart |
| For all supported x64-based editions of Windows Server 2003: Windowsserver2003.WindowsXP-KB954723-x64-enu /norestart | |
| For all supported Itanium-based editions of Windows Server 2003: Windowsserver2003-KB954723-ia64-enu /norestart | |
| Update log file | KB954723.log |
| Further information | See the subsection, Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance |
| Restart Requirement | |
| Restart required? | Yes, you must restart your system after you apply this security update. Note A system restart can be avoided for Windows Server 2003 by stopping the Message Queuing service, installing the update, and then restarting the Message Queuing service. If the Message Queuing service is not stopped before installing the update, then a system restart will still be required. |
| HotPatching | This security update does not support HotPatching. For more information about HotPatching, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 897341. |
| Removal Information | Use Add or Remove Programs tool in Control Panel or the Spuninst.exe utility located in the %Windir%\$NTUninstallKB954723$\Spuninst folder |
| File Information | See Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 955702 |
| Registry Key Verification | HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Updates\Windows Server 2003\SP3\KB954723\Filelist |
Deployment Information
Installing the Update
When you install this security update, the installer checks to see if one or more of the files that are being updated on your system have previously been updated by a Microsoft hotfix.
If you have previously installed a hotfix to update one of these files, the installer copies the RTMQFE, SP1QFE, or SP2QFE files to your system. Otherwise, the installer copies the RTMGDR, SP1GDR, or SP2GDR files to your system. Security updates may not contain all variations of these files. For more information about this behavior, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 824994.
For more information about the installer, visit the Microsoft TechNet Web site.
For more information about the terminology that appears in this bulletin, such as hotfix, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 824684.
This security update supports the following setup switches.
| Switch | Description |
|---|---|
| /help | Displays the command-line options. |
| Setup Modes | |
| /passive | Unattended Setup mode. No user interaction is required, but installation status is displayed. If a restart is required at the end of Setup, a dialog box will be presented to the user with a timer warning that the computer will restart in 30 seconds. |
| /quiet | Quiet mode. This is the same as unattended mode, but no status or error messages are displayed. |
| Restart Options | |
| /norestart | Does not restart when installation has completed. |
| /forcerestart | Restarts the computer after installation and force other applications to close at shutdown without saving open files first. |
| /warnrestart[:x] | Presents a dialog box with a timer warning the user that the computer will restart in x seconds. (The default setting is 30 seconds.) Intended for use with the /quiet switch or the /passive switch. |
| /promptrestart | Displays a dialog box prompting the local user to allow a restart. |
| Special Options | |
| /overwriteoem | Overwrites OEM files without prompting. |
| /nobackup | Does not back up files needed for uninstall. |
| /forceappsclose | Forces other programs to close when the computer shuts down. |
| /log:path | Allows the redirection of installation log files. |
| /integrate:path | Integrates the update into the Windows source files. These files are located at the path that is specified in the switch. |
| /extract[:path] | Extracts files without starting the Setup program. |
| /ER | Enables extended error reporting. |
| /verbose | Enables verbose logging. During installation, creates %Windir%\CabBuild.log. This log details the files that are copied. Using this switch may cause the installation to proceed more slowly. |
Note You can combine these switches into one command. For backward compatibility, the security update also supports many of the setup switches that the earlier version of the Setup program uses. For more information about the supported installation switches, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 262841.
Removing the Update
This security update supports the following setup switches.
| Switch | Description |
|---|---|
| /help | Displays the command-line options. |
| Setup Modes | |
| /passive | Unattended Setup mode. No user interaction is required, but installation status is displayed. If a restart is required at the end of Setup, a dialog box will be presented to the user with a timer warning that the computer will restart in 30 seconds. |
| /quiet | Quiet mode. This is the same as unattended mode, but no status or error messages are displayed. |
| Restart Options | |
| /norestart | Does not restart when installation has completed. |
| /forcerestart | Restarts the computer after installation and force other applications to close at shutdown without saving open files first. |
| /warnrestart[:x] | Presents a dialog box with a timer warning the user that the computer will restart in x seconds. (The default setting is 30 seconds.) Intended for use with the /quiet switch or the /passive switch. |
| /promptrestart | Displays a dialog box prompting the local user to allow a restart. |
| Special Options | |
| /forceappsclose | Forces other programs to close when the computer shuts down. |
| /log:path | Allows the redirection of installation log files. |
Verifying that the Update Has Been Applied
- Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer
To verify that a security update has been applied to an affected system, you may be able to use the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) tool. See the section, Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance, earlier in this bulletin for more information.
- File Version Verification
Because there are several editions of Microsoft Windows, the following steps may be different on your system. If they are, see your product documentation to complete these steps.
- Click Start, and then click Search.
- In the Search Results pane, click All files and folders under Search Companion.
- In the All or part of the file name box, type a file name from the appropriate file information table, and then click Search.
- In the list of files, right-click a file name from the appropriate file information table, and then click Properties.
Note Depending on the edition of the operating system, or the programs that are installed on your system, some of the files that are listed in the file information table may not be installed. - On the Version tab, determine the version of the file that is installed on your system 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.
- Registry Key Verification
You may also be able to verify the files that this security update has installed by reviewing the registry keys listed in the Reference Table in this section.
These registry keys may not contain a complete list of installed files. Also, these registry keys may not be created correctly when an administrator or an OEM integrates or slipstreams this security update into the Windows installation source files.
Other Information
Acknowledgments
Microsoft thanks the following for working with us to help protect customers:
- Haifei Li of Fortinet’s FortiGuard Global Security Research Team for reporting the Windows Messenger Information Disclosure Vulnerability (CVE-2008-0082)
- Vadim Pogulievsky of Finjan's Malicious Code Research Center for reporting the Windows Messenger Information Disclosure Vulnerability (CVE-2008-0082)
Support
- Customers in the U.S. and Canada can receive technical support from Microsoft Product Support Services at 1-866-PCSAFETY. There is no charge for support calls that are associated with security updates.
- 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 (August 12, 2008): Bulletin published.