Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-053 - Critical
Vulnerability in Windows Media Encoder 9 Could Allow Remote Code Execution (954156)
Published: | Updated:
Version: 2.0
General Information
Executive Summary
This security update resolves a privately reported vulnerability in Windows Media Encoder 9 Series. The vulnerability could allow remote code execution if a user viewed a specially crafted Web page. If a user is logged on with administrative user rights, an attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability 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 and affected editions of Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Vista, and Moderate for supported and affected versions of Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008. For more information, see the subsection, Affected and Non-Affected Software, in this section.
The security update addresses the vulnerability by performing additional parameter validation and modifying the way that controls in Windows Media Encoder interact with Internet Explorer. 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 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
| Operating System | Component | Maximum Security Impact | Aggregate Severity Rating | Bulletins Replaced by this Update |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 | Windows Media Encoder 9 Series | Remote Code Execution | Critical | None |
| Windows XP Service Pack 2 and Windows XP Service Pack 3 | Windows Media Encoder 9 Series | Remote Code Execution | Critical | None |
| Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2 | Windows Media Encoder 9 Series Windows Media Encoder 9 Series x64 Edition | Remote Code Execution | Critical | None |
| Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 | Windows Media Encoder 9 Series | Remote Code Execution | Moderate | None |
| Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2 | Windows Media Encoder 9 Series Windows Media Encoder 9 Series x64 Edition | Remote Code Execution | Moderate | None |
| Windows Vista and Windows Vista Service Pack 1 | Windows Media Encoder 9 Series | Remote Code Execution | Critical | None |
| Windows Vista x64 Edition and Windows Vista x64 Edition Service Pack 1 | Windows Media Encoder 9 Series Windows Media Encoder 9 Series x64 Edition | Remote Code Execution | Critical | None |
| Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems* | Windows Media Encoder 9 Series | Remote Code Execution | Moderate | None |
| Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems* | Windows Media Encoder 9 Series Windows Media Encoder 9 Series x64 Edition | Remote Code Execution | Moderate | None |
*Windows Server 2008 server core installation not affected. The vulnerability addressed by this update does not affect supported editions of Windows Server 2008 if Windows Server 2008 was installed using the Server Core installation option, even though the files affected by this vulnerability may be present on the system. However, users with the affected files will still be offered this update because the update files are newer (with higher version numbers) than the files that are currently on your system. For more information on this installation option, see Server Core. Note that the Server Core installation option does not apply to certain editions of Windows Server 2008; see Compare Server Core Installation Options.
Non-Affected Software
| Operating System | Component |
|---|---|
| Windows Server 2003 with SP1 for Itanium-based Systems and Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems | Windows Media Encoder 9 Series |
| Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems | Windows Media Encoder 9 Series |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Related to This Security Update
Why was this bulletin revised on September 15, 2008?
Microsoft revised this bulletin to communicate the re-release of the Norwegian language updates for Windows Media Encoder 9 Series running on Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4, Windows Media Encoder 9 Series running on Windows XP Service Pack 2 and Windows XP Service Pack 3, and Windows Media Encoder 9 Series running on Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 to fix a quality issue that would cause the installation to fail. Customers who have downloaded and attempted to install the Norwegian language updates need to download and install the re-released updates to be protected from the vulnerability described in this bulletin. Windows Media Encoder 9 Series x64 Edition and Windows Media Encoder 9 Series when installed on x64-based operating systems are not affected by this re-release. No other updates, editions, or locales are affected by this re-release.
Where are the file information details?
The file information details can be found in Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 954156.
Are there any products that ship the Windows Media Encoder 9 Series as part of a bundle?
Yes. While Windows Media Encoder 9 Series does not ship with a version of Windows, the 32-bit version of Windows Media Encoder 9 does ship with the Advanced Windows Media Plug-In for Adobe Premier 6.5 (Beta) available at the Microsoft Download Center. Anyone who installs the Advanced Windows Media Plug-In for Adobe Premier 6.5 (Beta) should also install this update.
I am using an older release of the software discussed in this security bulletin. What should I do?
The affected software listed in this bulletin have been tested to determine which releases are affected. Other releases are past their support life cycle. To determine the support life cycle for your software release, visit Microsoft Support Lifecycle.
It should be a priority for customers who have older releases of the software to migrate to supported releases to prevent potential exposure to vulnerabilities. For more information about the Windows Product Lifecycle, visit Microsoft Support Lifecycle. For more information about the extended security update support period for these software versions or editions, visit Microsoft Product Support Services.
Customers who require custom support for older releases must contact their Microsoft account team representative, their Technical Account Manager, or the appropriate Microsoft partner representative for custom support options. Customers without an Alliance, Premier, or Authorized Contract can contact their local Microsoft sales office. For contact information, visit Microsoft Worldwide Information, select the country, and then click Go to see a list of telephone numbers. When you call, ask to speak with the local Premier Support sales manager. For more information, see the Windows Operating System Product Support Lifecycle FAQ.
Vulnerability Information
Severity Ratings and Vulnerability Identifiers
| Affected Software | Windows Media Encoder Buffer Overrun Vulnerability - CVE-2008-3008 | Aggregate Severity Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 | Critical Remote Code Execution | Critical |
| Windows XP Service Pack 2 and Windows XP Service Pack 3 | Critical Remote Code Execution | Critical |
| Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2 | Critical Remote Code Execution | Critical |
| Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 | Moderate Remote Code Execution | Moderate |
| Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2 | Moderate Remote Code Execution | Moderate |
| Windows Vista and Windows Vista Service Pack 1 | Critical Remote Code Execution | Critical |
| Windows Vista x64 Edition and Windows Vista x64 Edition Service Pack 1 | Critical Remote Code Execution | Critical |
| Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems* | Moderate Remote Code Execution | Moderate |
| Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems* | Moderate Remote Code Execution | Moderate |
*Windows Server 2008 server core installation not affected. The vulnerability addressed by this update does not affect supported editions of Windows Server 2008 if Windows Server 2008 was installed using the Server Core installation option, even though the files affected by this vulnerability may be present on the system. However, users with the affected files will still be offered this update because the update files are newer (with higher version numbers) than the files that are currently on your system. For more information on this installation option, see Server Core. Note that the Server Core installation option does not apply to certain editions of Windows Server 2008; see Compare Server Core Installation Options.
Windows Media Encoder Buffer Overrun Vulnerability - CVE-2008-3008
A remote code execution vulnerability exists in the WMEX.DLL ActiveX control installed by Windows Media Encoder 9 Series. The vulnerability could allow remote code execution if a user views a specially crafted Web page. If a user is logged on with administrative user rights, an attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability 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.
To view this vulnerability as a standard entry in the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures list, see CVE-2008-3008.
Mitigating Factors for Windows Media Encoder Buffer Overrun Vulnerability - CVE-2008-3008
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, Windows Media Encoder 9 Series is not installed on any version of Windows. The 32-bit edition of Windows Media Encoder 9 Series, which can be installed on either x86 or x64 systems, must be downloaded from Windows Media Encoder 9 Series at the Microsoft Download Center. The 64-bit edition of Windows Media Encoder 9 Series, which can be installed only on x64-based systems, must be downloaded from Windows Media Encoder 9 Series x64 Edition at the Microsoft Download Center. Systems without Windows Media Encoder 9 Series or Windows Media Encoder 9 Series x64 Edition are not vulnerable.
- By default, this ActiveX control is not activated on systems running Internet Explorer 7, unless the control has been explicitly activated through the ActiveX opt-in feature in the Internet Zone. 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.
- By default, Internet Explorer on Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008 runs in a restricted mode that is known as Enhanced Security Configuration. Enhanced Security Configuration is a group of preconfigured settings in Internet Explorer that can reduce the likelihood of a user or administrator downloading and running specially crafted Web content on a server. This is a mitigating factor for Web sites that you have not added to the Internet Explorer Trusted sites zone. See also the Microsoft Download Center white paper, Managing Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration.
Workarounds for Windows Media Encoder Buffer Overrun Vulnerability - CVE-2008-3008
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:
- Prevent WMEX.DLL from running in Internet Explorer
You can disable attempts to instantiate WMEX.DLL in Internet Explorer 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 Registry Editor at your own risk.
For detailed steps that you can use to prevent a control from running in Internet Explorer, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 240797. Follow these steps in this article to create a Compatibility Flags value in the registry to prevent WMEX.DLL from being instantiated in Internet Explorer.
To set the kill bit for WMEX.DLL, paste the following text in a text editor such as Notepad. Then, save the file by using the .reg file name extension.
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series running on 32-bit systems, or for Windows Media Encoder 9 Series x64 Edition running on 64-bit systems:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\ActiveX Compatibility\{A8D3AD02-7508-4004-B2E9-AD33F087F43C}]
"Compatibility Flags"=dword:0x400
For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series running on 64-bit systems:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\ActiveX Compatibility\{A8D3AD02-7508-4004-B2E9-AD33F087F43C}]
"Compatibility Flags"=dword:0x400
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:
Note You must restart Internet Explorer for your changes to take effect.
Impact of workaround.There is no impact since this control is not intended to be used in Internet Explorer.
How to undo the workaround.
To undo the workaround, paste the following text in a text editor such as Notepad. Then, save the file by using the .reg file name extension.
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series running on 32-bit systems, or for Windows Media Encoder 9 Series x64 Edition running on 64-bit systems:
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\ActiveX Compatibility\{A8D3AD02-7508-4004-B2E9-AD33F087F43C}]
For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series running on 64-bit systems:
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\ActiveX Compatibility\{A8D3AD02-7508-4004-B2E9-AD33F087F43C}]
You can apply this .reg file to individual systems by double-clicking it. You can also apply it across domains by using Group Policy.
Note You must restart Internet Explorer for your changes to take effect.
- Unregister WMEX.DLL
Note: Paths specified in this section are default install paths. If Windows Media Encoder 9 was not installed in the default location, verify the directory on which Windows Media Encoder is installed and modify the path specified in the examples below accordingly.
From an administrative command prompt, type the following command:
regsvr32.exe -u "%programfiles%\Windows Media Components\Encoder\wmex.dll"Impact of workaround. Applications that rely on the Windows Media encoder may fail to work properly.
How to undo the workaround.
From an administrative command prompt, type the following command:
regsvr32.exe "%programfiles%\Windows Media Components\Encoder\wmex.dll" - Deny access to WMEX.DLL
Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003:
From an administrative command prompt, type the following command:
Echo y| cacls "%programfiles%\Windows Media Components\Encoder\wmex.dll" /E /P everyone:NWindows Vista and Windows Server 2008:
From an administrative command prompt, type the following commands:
Takeown.exe /f "%programfiles%\Windows Media Components\Encoder\wmex.dll"
Icacls.exe "%programfiles%\Windows Media Components\Encoder\wmex.dll" /save %TEMP%\WMEX_ACL.TXT
Icacls.exe "%programfiles%\Windows Media Components\Encoder\wmex.dll" /deny everyone:(F)Impact of workaround. Applications that rely on the Windows Media encoder may fail to work properly.
How to undo the workaround.
- Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003:
Configure the file to inherit its permissions from the parent folder using the steps outlined in this KB article: Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 308419 or run the following command from an administrative command prompt to remove the 'everyone' account ACE:
cacls "%programfiles%\Windows Media Components\Encoder\wmex.dll" /E /R everyone - Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008:
From an administrative command prompt, type the following commands:
icacls "%programfiles%\Windows Media Components\Encoder\wmex.dll" /grant everyone:(F)
icacls "%programfiles%\Windows Media Components\Encoder\wmex.dll" /restore %TEMP%\WMEX_ACL.TXT
- Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003:
FAQ for Windows Media Encoder Buffer Overrun Vulnerability - CVE-2008-3008
What is the scope of the vulnerability?
This is a remote code execution vulnerability. If a user is logged on with administrative user rights, an attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability 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.
What causes the vulnerability?
Windows Media Encoder 9 Series installs an ActiveX control named wmex.dll. The control was marked as Safe for Scripting (SFS). However, this control was never intended to be instantiated in Internet Explorer.
What is anActiveX Control?
An ActiveX control is a simple OLE object that supports the IUnknown interface. For more information, see the MSDN article, ActiveX Controls.
What is Safe For Scripting (SFS)?
Many ActiveX Controls are initialized with persistent data, which is either local or remote, and most ActiveX Controls are scriptable (they support a set of methods, events, and properties). Both initialization (with persistent data) and scripting require certain safeguards to ensure that security is not violated. When a developer writes an ActiveX control, it must be marked to indicate whether the control is safe for web sites to use. Marking a control as “safe for scripting” is an assertion by the author that the control is not capable of being misused to take a destructive action. Normally, web sites can only use ActiveX controls that are marked “safe for scripting”. For more information, see the MSDN article Safe Initialization and Scripting for ActiveX Controls.
What might an attacker use the vulnerability to do?
An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code on a user’s system. If a user is logged on with administrative user rights, an attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability 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.
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 view the Web site. This can 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 request 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?
This vulnerability requires that a user be logged on and visit a Web site for any malicious action to occur. Therefore, any systems where Internet Explorer is used frequently, such as workstations or terminal servers, are at the most risk from this vulnerability. Systems that have activated the speech recognition feature are at risk from this vulnerability.
I am running Internet Explorer on Windows Server 2003. Does this mitigate this vulnerability?
Yes. By default, Internet Explorer on Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008 runs in a restricted mode that is known as Enhanced Security Configuration. Enhanced Security Configuration is a group of preconfigured settings in Internet Explorer that can reduce the likelihood of a user or administrator downloading and running specially crafted Web content on a server. This is a mitigating factor for Web sites that you have not added to the Internet Explorer Trusted sites zone. See also Managing Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration.
I am running Windows Internet Explorer 7. Does this mitigate this vulnerability?
Yes. Customers who are running Internet Explorer 7 with default settings are not at risk until this ActiveX control has been activated through the ActiveX opt-in feature in the Internet Zone. 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 the control using the ActiveX opt-in feature.
What is the ActiveX opt-in feature in Windows Internet Explorer 7?
Internet Explorer 7 includes an ActiveX opt-in feature, which means that nearly all ActiveX controls are off by default. Users are prompted by the Information Bar before they can access 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.
What does the update do?
The security update addresses the vulnerability by performing additional parameter validation and modifying the way that controls in Windows Media Encoder interact with Internet Explorer.
When this security bulletin was issued, had this vulnerability been publicly disclosed?
No. Microsoft received information about this vulnerability through responsible disclosure. Microsoft had not received any information to indicate that this vulnerability had been publicly disclosed when this security bulletin was originally issued. This security bulletin addresses the privately disclosed vulnerability as well as additional issues discovered through internal investigations.
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 |
|---|---|
| Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 | Yes |
| Windows XP Service Pack 2 and Windows XP Service Pack 3 | Yes |
| Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2 | Yes |
| Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 | Yes |
| Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2 | Yes |
| Windows Vista and Windows Vista Service Pack 1 | Yes |
| Windows Vista x64 Edition and Windows Vista x64 Edition Service Pack 1 | Yes |
| Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems | Yes |
| Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems | Yes |
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 later, and SQL Server 2000 and later. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Windows XP Service Pack 2 and Windows XP Service Pack 3 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2 | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2 | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Vista and Windows Vista Service Pack 1 | No | No | See Note for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 below | Yes |
| Windows Vista x64 Edition and Windows Vista x64 Edition Service Pack 1 | No | No | See Note for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 below | Yes |
| Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems | No | No | See Note for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 below | Yes |
| Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems | No | No | See Note for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 below | Yes |
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.
Note for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003 with Service Pack 3 includes support for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 manageability.
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.
Update Compatibility Evaluator and Application Compatibility Toolkit
Updates often write to the same files and registry settings required for your applications to run. This can trigger incompatibilities and increase the time it takes to deploy security updates. You can streamline testing and validating Windows updates against installed applications with the Update Compatibility Evaluator components included with Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.0.
The Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) contains the necessary tools and documentation to evaluate and mitigate application compatibility issues before deploying Microsoft Windows Vista, a Windows Update, a Microsoft Security Update, or a new version of Windows Internet Explorer in your environment.
Security Update Deployment
Affected Software
For information about the specific security update for your affected software, click the appropriate link:
Windows 2000 (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 not be included in a future update rollup |
| Deployment | |
| Installing without user intervention | For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series running on Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4: WindowsMedia9-KB954156-x86-ENU /quiet |
| Installing without restarting | For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series running on Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4: WindowsMedia9-KB954156-x86-ENU /norestart |
| Update log file | For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series running on Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4: %Windir%\kb954156.log |
| Further information | See the subsection, Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance |
| Restart Requirement | |
| Restart required? | In some cases, this update does not require a restart. If the required files are being used, this update will require a restart. If this behavior occurs, a message appears that advises you to restart. To help reduce the chance that a restart will be required, stop all affected services and close all applications that may use the affected files prior to installing the security update. For more information about the reasons why you may be prompted to restart, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 887012. |
| HotPatching | Not applicable |
| Removal Information | For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series running on Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4: Use Add or Remove Programs tool in Control Panel or the Spuninst.exe utility located in the %Windir%\$NtUninstallKB954156_WM9L$\Spuninst folder |
| File Information | See Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 954156 |
| Registry Key Verification | For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series running on Microsoft Windows Service Pack 4: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Updates\Windows Media Encoder\SP0\KB954156_WM9L |
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. |
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 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 not be included in a future service pack or update rollup |
| Deployment | |
| Installing without user intervention | For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series running on Windows XP Service Pack 2 and Windows XP Service Pack 3: WindowsMedia9-KB954156-x86-ENU /quiet |
| For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series x64 Edition running on Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2: WindowsMedia9-KB954156-x64-ENU /quiet | |
| For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series running on Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2: WindowsMedia9-KB954156-32bit-x64-ENU /quiet | |
| Installing without restarting | For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series running on Windows XP Service Pack 2 and Windows XP Service Pack 3: WindowsMedia9-KB954156-x86-ENU /norestart |
| For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series x64 Edition running on Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2: WindowsMedia9-KB954156-x64-ENU /norestart | |
| For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series running on Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2: WindowsMedia9-KB954156-32bit-x64-ENU /norestart | |
| Update log file | %Windir%\KB954156.log |
| Further information | See the subsection, Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance |
| Restart Requirement | |
| Restart required? | In some cases, this update does not require a restart. If the required files are being used, this update will require a restart. If this behavior occurs, a message appears that advises you to restart. To help reduce the chance that a restart will be required, stop all affected services and close all applications that may use the affected files prior to installing the security update. For more information about the reasons why you may be prompted to restart, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 887012. |
| HotPatching | Not applicable |
| Removal Information | For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series, use Add or Remove Programs tool in Control Panel or the Spuninst.exe utility located in the %Windir%\$NtUninstallKB954156_WM9L$\Spuninst folder |
| For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series x64 Edition, use Add or Remove Programs tool in Control Panel or the Spuninst.exe utility located in the %Windir%\$NtUninstallKB954156_WM10L$\Spuninst folder | |
| File Information | See Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 954156 |
| Registry Key Verification | For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series running on Windows XP Service Pack 2 and Windows XP Service Pack 3: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Updates\Windows Media Encoder\SP0\KB954156_WM9L |
| For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series x64 Edition running on Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Updates\Windows Media Encoder\SP0\KB954156_WM10L | |
| For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series running on Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Updates\Windows Media Encoder\SP0\KB954156_WM9L |
Note For supported versions of Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, this security update is the same as supported versions of the Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition security update.
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. |
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 will not be included in a future service pack or update rollup |
| Deployment | |
| Installing without user intervention | For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series running on Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2: WindowsMedia9-KB954156-x86-ENU /quiet |
| For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series x64 Edition running on Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2: WindowsMedia9-KB954156-x64-ENU /quiet | |
| For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series running on Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2: WindowsMedia9-KB954156-32bit-x64-ENU /quiet | |
| Installing without restarting | For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series running on Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2: WindowsMedia9-KB954156-x86-ENU /norestart |
| For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series x64 Edition running on Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2: WindowsMedia9-KB954156-x64-ENU /norestart | |
| For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series running on Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2: WindowsMedia9-KB954156-32bit-x64-ENU /norestart | |
| Update log file | %Windir%\KB954156.log |
| Further information | See the subsection, Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance |
| Restart Requirement | |
| Restart required? | In some cases, this update does not require a restart. If the required files are being used, this update will require a restart. If this behavior occurs, a message appears that advises you to restart. To help reduce the chance that a restart will be required, stop all affected services and close all applications that may use the affected files prior to installing the security update. For more information about the reasons why you may be prompted to restart, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 887012. |
| HotPatching | This security update does not support HotPatching. For more information about HotPatching, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 897341. |
| Removal Information | For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series, use Add or Remove Programs tool in Control Panel or the Spuninst.exe utility located in the %Windir%\$NtUninstallKB954156_WM9L$\Spuninst folder |
| For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series x64 Edition, use Add or Remove Programs tool in Control Panel or the Spuninst.exe utility located in the %Windir%\$NtUninstallKB954156_WM10L$\Spuninst folder | |
| File Information | See Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 954156 |
| Registry Key Verification | For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series running on Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Updates\Windows Media Encoder\SP0\KB954156_WM9L |
| For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series x64 Edition running on Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Updates\Windows Media Encoder\SP0\KB954156_WM10L | |
| For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series running on Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Updates\Windows Media Encoder\SP0\KB954156_WM9L |
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. |
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.
Windows Vista (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 not be included in a future service pack or update rollup |
| Deployment | |
| Installing without user intervention | For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series running on Windows Vista and Windows Vista Service Pack 1: WindowsMedia9-KB954156-INTL /q:a For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series x64 Edition running on Windows Vista x64 Edition and Windows Vista x64 Edition Service Pack 1: WindowsMedia9-KB954156-x64-INTL /q:a For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series running on Windows Vista x64 Edition and Windows Vista x64 Edition Service Pack 1: WindowsMedia9-KB954156-INTL /q:a |
| Installing without restarting | For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series running on Windows Vista and Windows Vista Service Pack 1: WindowsMedia9-KB954156-INTL /r:n For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series x64 Edition running on Windows Vista x64 Edition and Windows Vista x64 Edition Service Pack 1: WindowsMedia9-KB954156-x64-INTL /r:n For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series running on Windows Vista x64 Edition and Windows Vista x64 Edition Service Pack 1: WindowsMedia9-KB954156-INTL /r:n |
| Further information | See the subsection, Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance |
| Restart Requirement | |
| Restart required? | In some cases, this update does not require a restart. If the required files are being used, this update will require a restart. If this behavior occurs, a message appears that advises you to restart. To help reduce the chance that a restart will be required, stop all affected services and close all applications that may use the affected files prior to installing the security update. For more information about the reasons why you may be prompted to restart. |
| HotPatching | Not applicable. |
| Removal Information | WUSA.exe does not support uninstall of updates. To uninstall an update installed by WUSA, click Control Panel, and then click Security. Under Windows Update, click View installed updates and select from the list of updates. |
| File Information | See Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 954156 |
| Registry Key Verification | Note A registry key does not exist to validate the presence of this update. |
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.
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 |
|---|---|
| /q | Specifies quiet mode, or suppresses prompts. |
| /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: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:path | Specifies the UNC 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. |
Note For more information about the IExpress installer, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 197147.
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 enter an update file name in Start Search.
- When the file appears under Programs, right-click on the file name and click Properties.
- Under the General tab, compare the file size with the file information tables provided in the bulletin KB article.
- You may also click on the Details tab and compare information, such as file version and date modified, with the file information tables provided in the bulletin KB article.
- Finally, you may also click on the Previous Versions tab and compare file information for the previous version of the file with the file information for the new, or updated, version of the file.
Windows Server 2008 (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 not be included in a future service pack or update rollup |
| Deployment | |
| Installing without user intervention | For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series running on Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems: WindowsMedia9-KB954156-INTL /q:a For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series x64 Edition running on Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems: WindowsMedia9-KB954156-x64-INTL /q:a For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series running on Windows Server 2008 x64-based Systems: WindowsMedia9-KB954156-INTL /q:a |
| Installing without restarting | For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series running on Windows Server 2008: WindowsMedia9-KB954156-INTL /r:n For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series x64 Edition running on Windows Server 2008 x64 based Systems: WindowsMedia9-KB954156-x64-INTL /r:n For Windows Media Encoder 9 Series running on Windows Server 2008 x64-based Systems: WindowsMedia9-KB954156-INTL /r:n |
| Further information | See the subsection, Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance |
| Restart Requirement | |
| Restart required? | Generally, this update does not require a restart. If the required files are being used, this update will require a restart. If this behavior occurs, a message appears that advises you to restart. To help reduce the chance that a restart will be required, stop all affected services and close all applications that may use the affected files prior to installing the security update. For more information about the reasons why you may be prompted to restart. |
| HotPatching | Not applicable. |
| Removal Information | WUSA.exe does not support uninstall of updates. To uninstall an update installed by WUSA, click Control Panel, and then click Security. Under Windows Update, click View installed updates and select from the list of updates. |
| File Information | See Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 954156 |
| Registry Key Verification | Note A registry key does not exist to validate the presence of this update. |
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.
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 |
|---|---|
| /q | Specifies quiet mode, or suppresses prompts. |
| /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: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:path | Specifies the UNC 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. |
Note For more information about the wusa.exe installer, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 197147.
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 enter an update file name in Start Search.
- When the file appears under Programs, right-click on the file name and click Properties.
- Under the General tab, compare the file size with the file information tables provided in the bulletin KB article.
- You may also click on the Details tab and compare information, such as file version and date modified, with the file information tables provided in the bulletin KB article.
- Finally, you may also click on the Previous Versions tab and compare file information for the previous version of the file with the file information for the new, or updated, version of the file.
Other Information
Acknowledgments
Microsoft thanks the following for working with us to help protect customers:
- Nguyen Minh Duc and Le Manh Tung, with Bach Khoa Internetwork Security Center (BKIS) Hanoi University of Technology (Vietnam), for reporting the Windows Media Encoder Vulnerability (CVE-2008-3008)
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 (September 9, 2008): Bulletin published.
- V1.1 (September 10, 2008): Corrected the "Installing without user intervention" and "Installing without restarting" switches in the Security Update Deployment sections for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. Also changed "C:\Program Files" to "%programfiles%" in the Workarounds for Windows Media Encoder Buffer Overrun Vulnerability - CVE-2008-3008 commands.
- V2.0 (September 15, 2008): Added entry to the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Related to This Security Update section to communicate the re-release of the Norwegian language update for Windows Media Encoder 9 Series running on Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4, Windows Media Encoder 9 Series running on Windows XP Service Pack 2 and Windows XP Service Pack 3, and Windows Media Encoder 9 Series running on Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2. Customers who require the Norwegian language updates need to download and install the re-released updates.