Microsoft Windows Security Bulletin Summary for October, 2003

Included in this advisory are updates for five newly discovered vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows. These vulnerabilities, broken down by severity are:

Critical

Microsoft Security Bulletin MS03-041 - Vulnerability in Authenticode Verification Could Allow Remote Code Execution (823182)

Microsoft Security Bulletin MS03-042 - Buffer Overflow in the Windows Troubleshooter ActiveX Control Could Allow Code Execution (826232)

Microsoft Security Bulletin MS03-043 - Buffer Overrun in Messenger Service Could Allow Code Execution (828035)

Microsoft Security Bulletin MS03-044: Buffer Overrun in Windows Help and Support Center Could Lead to System Compromise (825119)

Important

Microsoft Security Bulletin MS03-045: Buffer Overrun in the ListBox and in the ComboBox Control Could Allow Code Execution (824141)

Software Update Services (SUS):

Microsoft Software Update Services (SUS) enables administrators to quickly and reliably deploy the latest critical updates and security updates to Windows® 2000 and Windows Server™ 2003-based servers, as well as to desktop computers running Windows 2000 Professional or Windows XP Professional.

For information about how to deploy this security patch with Software Update Services, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/sus/

Systems Management Server (SMS):

For information about how to deploy this security patch with Systems Management Server, visit the following Microsoft Web site. Systems Management Server utilizes the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer and the Microsoft Office Detection Tool to provide broad support for security bulletin remediation.

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sms/20/downloads/featurepacks/suspack/default.mspx

Some software updates may require administrative rights following a restart of the computer. For information about how you can use Systems Management Server to deploy this type of update, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/SMServer/downloads/20/featurepacks/adminpack/default.asp

Note: The inventory capabilities of the SMS 2.0 Software Update Services Feature Pack may be used for targeting updates to specific computers, and the SMS 2.0 Administration Feature Pack's Elevated Rights Deployment Tool can be used for installation. This provides optimal deployment for updates that require explicit targeting using Systems Management Server, and the administrative rights after the computer has been restarted.

QChain.exe and Update.exe:

Microsoft has released a command-line tool named QChain.exe that gives system administrators the ability to safely chain security updates together. Chaining is when you install multiple updates without rebooting between each install. Update.exe, used in the patches described in this advisory, has chaining functionality built in. For customers using Windows 2000 service pack 3 or higher, Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003, Qchain.exe is not required to chain these updates. However, Qchain.exe also supports Windows Updates so that an administrator can create a consistent deployment script across all platforms.

More information on the Qchain utility can be found at:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=3C64D889-74F1-490B- A2FB-F15671A3B60C&displaylang=en

Microsoft has tested the following deployment patterns for several of the patches contained within this advisory. Other patches may also be chained; these lists are provided as an example to assist administrators with the creation of their own scripts. Please review the provided documentation before executing or customizing these scripts.

Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Service Pack 6a

@echo off
setlocal
set PATHTOFIXES=some path
%PATHTOFIXES%\WindowsNT4Workstation-KB828035-x86-ENU.exe -z
%PATHTOFIXES%\WindowsNT4Workstation-KB824141-x86-ENU.exe -z
%PATHTOFIXES%\WindowsNT4Workstation-KB823182-x86-ENU.exe -z
%PATHTOFIXES%\qchain.exe qchainlog.txt


Windows NT Server 4.0 Service Pack 6a

@echo off
setlocal
set PATHTOFIXES=some path
%PATHTOFIXES%\WindowsNT4Server-KB828035-x86-ENU.exe -z
%PATHTOFIXES%\WindowsNT4Server-KB824141-x86-ENU.exe -z
%PATHTOFIXES%\WindowsNT4Server-KB823182-x86-ENU.exe -z
%PATHTOFIXES%\qchain.exe qchainlog.txt


Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition Service Pack 6

@echo off
setlocal
set PATHTOFIXES=some path
%PATHTOFIXES%\WindowsNT4TerminalServer-KB828035-x86-ENU.exe -z
%PATHTOFIXES%\WindowsNT4TerminalServer-KB824141-x86-ENU.exe -z
%PATHTOFIXES%\WindowsNT4TerminalServer-KB823182-x86-ENU.exe -z
%PATHTOFIXES%\qchain.exe qchainlog.txt


Windows 2000 Service Pack 2

@echo off
@echo off
setlocal
set PATHTOFIXES=some path
%PATHTOFIXES%\Windows2000-KB826232-x86-ENU-CustomServicePackSupport.exe -z
%PATHTOFIXES%\Windows2000-KB828035-x86-ENU-CustomServicePackSupport.exe -z
%PATHTOFIXES%\Windows2000-KB824141-x86-ENU-CustomServicePackSupport.exe -z
%PATHTOFIXES%\Windows2000-KB823182-x86-ENU-CustomServicePackSupport.exe -z
%PATHTOFIXES%\qchain.exe qchainlog.txt


Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 or Windows 2000 Service Pack 4

@echo off
setlocal
set PATHTOFIXES=some path
%PATHTOFIXES%\Windows2000-KB826232-x86-ENU.exe -z
%PATHTOFIXES%\Windows2000-KB828035-x86-ENU.exe -z
%PATHTOFIXES%\Windows2000-KB824141-x86-ENU.exe -z
%PATHTOFIXES%\Windows2000-KB823182-x86-ENU.exe -z
%PATHTOFIXES%\qchain.exe qchainlog.txt


Windows XP Gold, and Service Pack 1

@echo off
setlocal
set PATHTOFIXES=some path
%PATHTOFIXES%\WindowsXP-KB828035-x86-ENU.exe -z
%PATHTOFIXES%\WindowsXP-KB824141-x86-ENU.exe -z
%PATHTOFIXES%\WindowsXP-KB823182-x86-ENU.exe -z
%PATHTOFIXES%\qchain.exe qchainlog.txt


Windows Server 2003

@echo off
@echo off
setlocal
set PATHTOFIXES=some path
%PATHTOFIXES%\WindowsServer2003-KB828035-x86-ENU.exe -z
%PATHTOFIXES%\WindowsServer2003-KB824141-x86-ENU.exe -z
%PATHTOFIXES%\WindowsServer2003-KB823182-x86-ENU.exe -z
%PATHTOFIXES%\WindowsServer2003-KB828025-x86-ENU.exe -z
%PATHTOFIXES%\qchain.exe qchainlog.txt


Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA):

The Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer allows administrators to scan local and remote systems for missing security patches as well as common security misconfigurations. More information on MBSA is available at: http://www.microsoft.com/mbsa

Acknowledgments:

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

• Greg Jones of KPMG UK and Cesar Cerrudo for reporting the issue described in MS03-042.
• The Last Stage of Delirium Research Group for reporting the issue in MS03-043.
• David Litchfield of Next Generation Security Software Ltd. for reporting the issue in MS03-044.
• Brett Moore of Security-Assessment.com for reporting the issue in MS03-045.

Support:

• Technical support is available from Microsoft Product Support Services at 1-866-PCSAFETY. There is no charge for support calls associated with security patches.

Security Resources:

• The Microsoft TechNet Security Center Web site provides additional information about security in Microsoft products.
• Microsoft Software Update Services: http://www.microsoft.com/sus/ 
• Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) details: http://www.microsoft.com/mbsa. Please see http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;306460 for list of security patches that have detection limitations with MBSA tool.
• Windows Update Catalog: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;323166 
• Windows Update: http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com 
• Office Update: http://office.microsoft.com/officeupdate/

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 October 15, 2003: First Published.
• V1.1 October 21, 2003: Updated the link for more information on the QChain in the "QChain.exe and Update.exe" section in MS03-042.
• V2.0 October 22, 2003: Version changed to reflect the availability of updated patch for MS03-045 for specific languages.
• V3.0 October 29, 2003: Revised versions of security patches have been released to correct the issues documented in MS03-042, MS03-043, and MS03-045.
• V3.1 November 3, 2003: Version changed to reflect the updated Patch Replacement section within MS03-045.
• V3.2 November 5, 2003: Version changed to reflect updated Technical Details and Frequently Asked Questions sections in MS03-045. This update documents the availability of Knowledge Base Article 831739 which addresses reports of application compatibilty problems with some third party applications.
• V3.3 November 13, 2003: Bulletin updated to reflect correct file versions for Windows XP update in MS03-043 and to reflect the updated file versions for the Windows NT 4.0 update in MS03-045.
• V3.4 November 14, 2003: Updated "File Information" in the "Windows NT" section of "Security Patch Information" in MS03-041.
• V3.5 December 2, 2003: Bulletin updated to reflect correct file versions and date/time stamp for Windows XP update in MS03-043.
• V4.0 January 13, 2004: Revised versions of security patches have been released to correct the issues documented in MS03-045.
• V4.1 March 9, 2004: Version changed to reflect the updated Patch Replacement section within MS03-045.
• V4.2 June 16, 2004: Updated information in Summary Bulletin about Update Management Strategies.