Security Bulletin

Microsoft Security Bulletin MS13-048 - Important

Vulnerability in Windows Kernel Could Allow Information Disclosure (2839229)

Published: June 11, 2013 | Updated: June 18, 2013

Version: 1.2

General Information

Executive Summary

This security update resolves one privately reported vulnerability in Windows. The vulnerability could allow information disclosure if an attacker logs on to a system and runs a specially crafted application or convinces a local, logged-in user to run a specially crafted application. An attacker must have valid logon credentials and be able to log on locally to exploit this vulnerability. Note that this vulnerability would not allow an attacker to execute code or to elevate their user rights directly, but it could be used to produce information that could be used to try to further compromise an affected system.

This security update is rated Important for all supported releases of Microsoft Windows. For more information, see the subsection, Affected and Non-Affected Software, in this section.

The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting the way that the Windows kernel handles certain page fault system calls. 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. Most customers have automatic updating enabled and will not need to take any action because this security update will be downloaded and installed automatically. Customers who have not enabled automatic updating need to check for updates and install this update manually. For information about specific configuration options in automatic updating, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 294871.

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

See also the section, Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance, later in this bulletin.

Knowledge Base Article

Knowledge Base Article 2839229
File information Yes
SHA1/SHA2 hashes Yes
Known issues Yes

Affected and Non-Affected Software

The following software has 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, see Microsoft Support Lifecycle.

Affected Software 

Operating System Maximum Security Impact Aggregate Severity Rating Updates Replaced
Windows XP
Windows XP Service Pack 3 (2839229) Information Disclosure Important  2813170 in MS13-031
Windows Server 2003
Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 (2839229) Information Disclosure Important  2813170 in MS13-031
Windows Vista
Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (2839229) Information Disclosure Important  2813170 in MS13-031
Windows Server 2008
Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2 (2839229) Information Disclosure Important  2813170 in MS13-031
Windows 7
Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 1 (2839229) Information Disclosure Important  2813170 in MS13-031
Windows 8
Windows 8 for 32-bit Systems (2839229) Information Disclosure Important  2829361 in MS13-046
Server Core installation option
Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation) (2839229) Information Disclosure Important  2813170 in MS13-031

Non-Affected Software

Operating System
Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2
Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2
Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems
Windows Vista x64 Edition Service Pack 2
Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2
Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems Service Pack 2
Windows 7 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1
Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1
Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems Service Pack 1
Windows 8 for 64-bit Systems
Windows Server 2012
Windows RT
Server Core installation option
Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation)
Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 (Server Core installation)
Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation)

Update FAQ

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 has been tested to determine which releases are affected. Other releases are past their support life cycle. For more information about the product lifecycle, see the Microsoft Support Lifecycle website.

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. To determine the support lifecycle for your software release, see Select a Product for Lifecycle Information. For more information about service packs for these software releases, see Service Pack Lifecycle Support Policy.

Customers who require custom support for older software 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, see the Microsoft Worldwide Information website, select the country in the Contact Information list, 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 Microsoft Support Lifecycle Policy FAQ.

Vulnerability Information

Severity Ratings and Vulnerability Identifiers

The following severity ratings assume the potential maximum impact of the vulnerability. For information regarding the likelihood, within 30 days of this security bulletin's release, of the exploitability of the vulnerability in relation to its severity rating and security impact, please see the Exploitability Index in the June bulletin summary. For more information, see Microsoft Exploitability Index.

Affected Software Kernel Information Disclosure Vulnerability - CVE-2013-3136 Aggregate Severity Rating
Windows XP
Windows XP Service Pack 3 Important  Information Disclosure Important 
Windows Server 2003
Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 Important  Information Disclosure Important 
Windows Vista
Windows Vista Service Pack 2 Important  Information Disclosure Important 
Windows Server 2008
Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2 Important  Information Disclosure Important 
Windows 7
Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 1 Important  Information Disclosure Important 
Windows 8
Windows 8 for 32-bit Systems Important  Information Disclosure Important 
Server Core installation option
Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation) Important  Information Disclosure Important 

Kernel Information Disclosure Vulnerability - CVE-2013-3136

An information disclosure vulnerability exists when the Windows kernel improperly handles objects in memory. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could disclose information from kernel addresses.

To view this vulnerability as a standard entry in the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures list, see CVE-2013-3136.

Mitigating Factors

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:

  • An attacker must have valid logon credentials and be able to log on locally to exploit this vulnerability or convince a locally authenticated user to execute a specially crafted application.

Workarounds

Microsoft has not identified any workarounds for this vulnerability.

FAQ

What is the scope of the vulnerability?
This is an information disclosure vulnerability.

What causes the vulnerability?
The vulnerability is caused when the Windows kernel fails to properly handle certain page fault system calls.

What is the Windows kernel?
The Windows kernel is the core of the operating system. It provides system-level services such as device management and memory management, allocates processor time to processes, and manages error handling.

What might an attacker use the vulnerability to do?
An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could disclose information from kernel memory on the local system. Note that this vulnerability would not allow an attacker to execute code or to elevate their user rights directly, but it could be used to produce information that could be used to try to further compromise the affected system.

How could an attacker exploit the vulnerability?
For an attacker to exploit this vulnerability, a user would have to execute a specially crafted application. In an email attack scenario, an attacker could exploit the vulnerability by sending a specially crafted application to a user and convincing them to run it.

What systems are primarily at risk from the vulnerability?
Workstations and terminal servers are primarily at risk. Servers could be at more risk if administrators allow users to log on to servers and to run programs. However, best practices strongly discourage allowing this.

What does the update do?
The update addresses the vulnerability by correcting the way Windows handles certain page fault system calls.

When this security bulletin was issued, had this vulnerability been publicly disclosed?
No. Microsoft received information about this vulnerability through coordinated vulnerability disclosure.

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 when this security bulletin was originally issued.

Update Information

Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance

Several resources are available to help administrators deploy security updates. 

  • Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) lets administrators scan local and remote systems for missing security updates and common security misconfigurations. 
  • Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), Systems Management Server (SMS), and System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) help administrators distribute security updates. 
  • The Update Compatibility Evaluator components included with Application Compatibility Toolkit aid in streamlining the testing and validation of Windows updates against installed applications. 

For information about these and other tools that are available, see Security Tools for IT Pros

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.

Security update file names For Windows XP Service Pack 3:\ WindowsXP-KB2839229-x86-ENU.exe
Installation switches See Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 262841
Update log file KB2839229.log
Restart requirement Yes, you must restart your system after you apply this security update.
Removal information Use Add or Remove Programs item in Control Panel or the Spuninst.exe utility located in the %Windir%$NTUninstallKB2839229$\Spuninst folder
File information See Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 2839229
Registry key verification For all supported 32-bit editions of Windows XP:\ HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Updates\Windows XP\SP4\KB2839229\Filelist

Windows Server 2003 (all editions)

Reference Table

The following table contains the security update information for this software.

Security update file names For all supported 32-bit editions of Windows Server 2003:\ WindowsServer2003-KB2839229-x86-ENU.exe
Installation switches See Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 262841
Update log file KB2839229.log
Restart requirement Yes, you must restart your system after you apply this security update.
Removal information Use Add or Remove Programs item in Control Panel or the Spuninst.exe utility located in the %Windir%$NTUninstallKB2839229$\Spuninst folder
File information See Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 2839229
Registry key verification HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Updates\Windows Server 2003\SP3\KB2839229\Filelist

Windows Vista (all editions)

Reference Table

The following table contains the security update information for this software.

Security update file names For all supported 32-bit editions of Windows Vista:\ Windows6.0-KB2839229-x86.msu
Installation switches See Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 934307
Restart requirement Yes, you must restart your system after you apply this security update.
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 2839229
Registry key verification Note A registry key does not exist to validate the presence of this update.

Windows Server 2008 (all editions)

Reference Table

The following table contains the security update information for this software.

Security update file names For all supported 32-bit editions of Windows Server 2008:\ Windows6.0-KB2839229-x86.msu
Installation switches See Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 934307
Restart requirement Yes, you must restart your system after you apply this security update.
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 2839229
Registry key verification Note A registry key does not exist to validate the presence of this update.

Windows 7 (all editions)

Reference Table

The following table contains the security update information for this software.

Security update file name For all supported 32-bit editions of Windows 7:\ Windows6.1-KB2839229-x86.msu
Installation switches See Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 934307
Restart requirement Yes, you must restart your system after you apply this security update.
Removal information To uninstall an update installed by WUSA, use the /Uninstall setup switch or click Control Panel, click System and Security, and then under Windows Update, click View installed updates and select from the list of updates.
File information See Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 2839229
Registry key verification Note A registry key does not exist to validate the presence of this update.

Windows 8 (all editions)

Reference Table

The following table contains the security update information for this software.

Security update file name For all supported 32-bit editions of Windows 8:\ Windows8-RT-KB2839229-x86.msu
Installation switches See Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 934307
Restart requirement Yes, you must restart your system after you apply this security update.
Removal information To uninstall an update installed by WUSA, use the /Uninstall setup switch or click Control Panel, click System and Security, click Windows Update, and then under See also, click Installed updates and select from the list of updates.
File information See Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 2839229
Registry key verification Note A registry key does not exist to validate the presence of this update.

Other Information

Acknowledgments

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

Microsoft Active Protections Program (MAPP)

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

Support

How to obtain help and support for this security update

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 (June 11, 2013): Bulletin published.
  • V1.1 (June 12, 2013): Updated the Known Issues entry in the Knowledge Base Article section from "None" to "Yes".
  • V1.2 (June 18, 2013): Bulletin revised to announce a detection change in the security update for 2839229 to address the known issue documented in Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 2839229. This is a detection change only. Customers who have already successfully updated their systems do not need to take any action.

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