Security Bulletin

Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-017 - Important

Published: April 12, 2005 | Updated: April 14, 2005

Version: 1.1

Who should read this document: Customers who use Microsoft Message Queuing (MSMQ)

Impact of Vulnerability: Remote Code Execution

Maximum Severity Rating: Important

Recommendation: Customers should apply the update at the earliest opportunity.

Security Update Replacement: None

Caveats: None

Tested Software and Security Update Download Locations:

Affected Software:

• Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 and Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 - Download the update
• Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 1 - Download the update
• Microsoft Windows XP 64-Bit Edition Service Pack 1 (Itanium) - Download the update
• Microsoft Windows 98 and Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition (SE) - Review the FAQ section of this bulletin for details about these operating systems.

Non-Affected Software:

• Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2
• Microsoft Windows XP 64-Bit Edition Version 2003 (Itanium)
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 for Itanium-based Systems
• Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (ME)

The software in this list has been tested to determine whether the versions are affected. Other versions either no longer include security update support or may not be affected. To determine the support life cycle for your product and version, visit the Microsoft Support Lifecycle Web site.

Executive Summary:

This update resolves a newly-discovered, privately-reported vulnerability. A remote code execution vulnerability exists in the Message Queuing component. By default, the Message Queuing component is not installed on any affected operating system version. Only customers who manually installed the Message Queuing component could be vulnerable to this issue. The vulnerability is documented in the “Vulnerability Details” section of this bulletin.

An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could remotely 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.

We recommend that customers apply the update at the earliest opportunity.

Severity Ratings and Vulnerability Identifiers:

This assessment is based on the types of systems that are affected by the vulnerability, their typical deployment patterns, and the effect that exploiting the vulnerability would have on them.

I am still using Windows XP, but extended security update support ended on September 30th, 2004. What should I do?
The original version of Windows XP, generally known as Windows XP Gold or Windows XP Release to Manufacturing (RTM) version, reached the end of its extended security update support life cycle on September 30, 2004.

It should be a priority for customers who have this operating system version to migrate to supported operating system versions to prevent potential exposure to vulnerabilities. For more information about the Windows Service Pack Product Lifecycle, visit the Microsoft Support Lifecycle Web site. For more information about the Windows Product Lifecycle, visit the Microsoft Support Lifecycle Web site.

For more information, see the Windows Operating System Product Support Lifecycle FAQ.

Extended security update support for Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Service Pack 6a and Windows 2000 Service Pack 2 ended on June 30, 2004. Extended security update support for Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Service Pack 6a ended on December 31, 2004. I’m still using one of these operating systems, what should I do?
Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Service Pack 6a, Windows NT Server 4.0 Service Pack 6a, and Windows 2000 Service Pack 2 have reached the end of their life cycles. It should be a priority for customers who have these operating system versions to migrate to supported versions to prevent potential exposure to vulnerabilities. For more information about the Windows Product Lifecycle, visit the following Microsoft Support Lifecycle Web site. For more information about the extended security update support period for these operating system versions, visit the Microsoft Product Support Services Web site.

Customers who require additional support for Windows NT 4.0 SP6a 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 the Microsoft Worldwide Information Web site, 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.

How does the extended support for Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, and Windows Millennium Edition affect the release of security updates for these operating systems?
Microsoft will only release security updates for critical security issues. Non-critical security issues are not offered during this support period. For more information about the Microsoft Support Lifecycle policies for these operating systems, visit the following Web site.

For more information about severity ratings, visit the following Web site.

Are Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, or Windows Millennium Edition critically affected by one or more of the vulnerabilities that are addressed in this security bulletin?
No. Message Queuing was supported on Window 98 and Windows 98 Second Edition. Message Queuing was not supported on Windows Millennium Edition. Message Queuing was only provided only as a separate installation and not as part of the operating system. Because Message Queuing is available only as part of a manual installation, this issue would not be rated critical on the affected operating system versions. However, customers who are using Message Queuing on these operating system versions are advised to upgrade to an operating system version that contains an updated version of the affected component. For more information about severity ratings, visit the following Web site.

Can I use the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) to determine whether this update is required?
Yes. MBSA will determine whether this update is required. For more information about MBSA, visit the MBSA Web site

Can I use Systems Management Server (SMS) to determine whether this update is required?
Yes. SMS can help detect and deploy this security update. For information about SMS, visit the SMS Web site. The Security Update Inventory Tool is required for detecting Microsoft Windows and other affected Microsoft products. For more information about the limitations of the Security Update Inventory Tool, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 306460

A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Message Queuing that could allow an attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability to take complete control of the affected system.

• By default, the Message Queuing component is not installed on any affected operating system version. Only customers who manually install the Message Queuing component are likely to be vulnerable to this issue.
• Message Queuing installations that expose only MSMQ HTTP Message Delivery to the Internet are not vulnerable.
• For customers that require the affected component, firewall best practices and standard default firewall configurations can help protect networks from attacks that originate outside the enterprise perimeter. Best practices recommend that systems that are connected to the Internet have a minimal number of ports exposed.

Microsoft has tested the following workarounds. While these workarounds will not correct the underlying vulnerability, they help block known attack vectors. When a workaround reduces functionality, it is identified in the following section.

• Block the following at the firewall:

  • UDP ports 135, 137, 138, 445, 1801, and 3527, and TCP ports 135, 139, 445, 593, 1801, 2101, 2103, 2105, and 2107
  • All unsolicited inbound traffic on ports greater than 1024
  • Any other specifically configured RPC port

  These ports are used to initiate a connection with RPC. Blocking them at the firewall will help protect systems that are behind that firewall from attempts to exploit this vulnerability. Also, make sure that you block any other specifically configured RPC port on the remote system. We recommend that you block all unsolicited inbound communication from the Internet to help prevent attacks that may use other ports. For more information about ports that RPC uses, visit the following Web site.

• Remove Message Queuing if you do not need it.

  If you no longer need Message Queuing, remove it. To do this, follow these steps. These steps apply only to Windows XP Service Pack 1. For Windows 2000, follow the procedure that is included in the product documentation.

  Note Special permissions may be required to remove Message Queuing. For more information, see the following Message Queuing documentation.

  1. Click, Start, and then click Control Panel.
  2. Double-click, Add or Remove Programs.
  3. In the default Category View, click Add or Remove Programs.
  4. Click Add/Remove Windows Components.
  5. On the Windows Components Wizard page, under Components, click to clear the Message Queuing check box to remove Message Queuing, and then click Next.
  6. Complete the Windows Components Wizard by following the instructions on the screen.

  Impact of Workaround: Many organizations require Message Queuing to perform important functions. Administrators should not remove Message Queuing unless they fully understand the effect that doing this will have on their environment. For more information about Message Queuing, see the Message Queuing product documentation.

What is the scope of the vulnerability?
This is a remote code execution vulnerability. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could remotely 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.

What causes the vulnerability?
An unchecked buffer in the Message Queuing component.

What is Message Queuing?
Microsoft Message Queuing technology enables applications that are running at different times to communicate across heterogeneous networks and across systems that may be temporarily offline. Applications send messages to queues and read messages from queues. Message Queuing provides guaranteed message delivery, efficient routing, security, and priority-based messaging. It can be used to implement solutions for both asynchronous and synchronous messaging scenarios. For more information about Message Queuing, see the Message Queuing product documentation.

What Microsoft applications use Message Queuing?
Message Queuing must be installed before you can install BizTalk Server 2000 or BizTalk Server 2002. Message Queuing is an optional component that can be used by BizTalk Server 2004. Other Microsoft applications and third-party applications may also use Message Queuing.

What might an attacker use the vulnerability to do?
An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of the affected system.

Who could exploit the vulnerability?
Any anonymous user who could deliver a specially crafted message to the affected system could try to exploit this vulnerability.

How could an attacker exploit the vulnerability?
An attacker could try to exploit the vulnerability by creating a specially crafted message and sending the message to an affected system. The message could then cause the affected system to execute code.

What systems are primarily at risk from the vulnerability?
All systems that have Message Queuing installed are at risk from this vulnerability. By default, the Message Queuing component is not installed on any affected operating system version. Only customers who manually install the Message Queuing component are likely to be vulnerable to this issue.

Could the vulnerability be exploited over the Internet?
Yes. An attacker could try to exploit this vulnerability over the Internet by using RPC ports. Most Message Queuing deployments that are available through the Internet use the MSMQ HTTP Message Delivery component which is not vulnerable to this issue. Firewall best practices and standard default firewall configurations can help protect against attacks that originate from the Internet that use RPC. Microsoft has provided information about how you can help protect your PC. End users can visit the Protect Your PC Web site. IT professionals can visit the Security Center Web site.

What does the update do?
The update removes the vulnerability by modifying the way that Message Queuing validates the length of a message before it passes the message to the allocated buffer.

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.

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.

Affected Software:

For information about the specific security update for your affected software, click the appropriate link:

Prerequisites This security update requires Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 1. For more information, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 322389.

Inclusion in Future Service Packs: The update for this issue is included in Windows XP Service Pack 2.

Installation Information

This security update supports the following setup switches.

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. For more information about the Update.exe installer, visit the Microsoft TechNet Web site.

Deployment Information

To install the security update without any user intervention, use the following command at a command prompt for Microsoft Windows XP:

Windowsxp-kb892944-x86-enu /quiet

To install the security update without forcing the system to restart, use the following command at a command prompt for Windows XP:

Windowsxp-kb892944-x86-enu /norestart

For information about how to deploy this security update by using Software Update Services, visit the Software Update Services Web site.

Restart Requirement

This update does not require a restart. If the required services cannot be stopped for any reason, or if required files are being used, this update will require a restart. If this behavior occurs, a message appears that advises you to restart. 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.

Removal Information

To remove this security update, use the Add or Remove Programs tool in Control Panel.

System administrators can also use the Spuninst.exe utility to remove this security update. The Spuninst.exe utility is located in the %Windir%\$NTUninstallKB892944$\Spuninst folder.

File Information

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

Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 1, Windows XP Professional Service Pack 1, Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, Windows XP Media Center Edition:

Windows XP 64-Bit Edition Service Pack 1 (Itanium):

For more information about the Update.exe 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.

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. MBSA allows administrators to scan local and remote systems for missing security updates and for common security misconfigurations. For more information about MBSA, visit the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer Web site.

• File Version Verification

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

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

• Registry Key Verification

  You may also be able to verify the files that this security update has installed by reviewing the following registry keys.

  For Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 1, Windows XP Professional Service Pack 1, Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, Windows XP Media Center Edition:

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Updates\Windows XP\SP2\KB892944\Filelist

  Note These registry keys may not contain a complete list of installed files. Also, these registry keys may not be created correctly if an administrator or an OEM integrates or slipstreams the 892944 security update into the Windows installation source files.

Prerequisites For Windows 2000, this security update requires Service Pack 3 (SP3) or Service Pack 4 (SP4). For Small Business Server 2000, this security update requires Small Business Server 2000 Service Pack 1a or Small Business Server 2000 running with Windows 2000 Server Service Pack 4.

The software that is listed has been tested to determine whether the versions are affected. Other versions either no longer include security update support or may not be affected. To determine the support life cycle for your product and version, visit the Microsoft Support Lifecycle Web site.

For more information about how to obtain the latest service pack, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 260910.

Inclusion in Future Service Packs: The update for this issue will be included in a future Update Rollup.

Installation Information

This security update supports the following setup switches.

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. For more information about the Update.exe 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.

Deployment Information

To install the security update without any user intervention, use the following command at a command prompt for Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 and Windows 2000 Service Pack 4:

Windows2000-kb892944-x86-enu /quiet

To install the security update without forcing the system to restart, use the following command at a command prompt for Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 and Windows 2000 Service Pack 4:

Windows2000-kb892944-x86-enu /norestart

For more information about how to deploy this security update with Software Update Services, visit the Software Update Services Web site.

Restart Requirement

This update requires a restart. Using the /norestart option prevents the update from restarting after installing the update. However, the system will remain vulnerable to this issue until a system restart occurs.

Removal Information

To remove this security update, use the Add or Remove Programs tool in Control Panel.

System administrators can also use the Spuninst.exe utility to remove this security update. The Spuninst.exe utility is located in the %Windir%\$NTUninstallKB892944$\Spuninst folder.

File Information

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

Windows 2000 Service Pack 3, Windows 2000 Service Pack 4, and Small Business Server 2000:

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. MBSA allows administrators to scan local and remote systems for missing security updates and for common security misconfigurations. For more information about MBSA, visit the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer Web site.

• File Version Verification

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

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

• Registry Key Verification

  You may also be able to verify the files that this security update has installed by reviewing the following registry key:

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Updates\Windows 2000\SP5\KB892944\Filelist

  Note This registry key may not contain a complete list of installed files. Also, this registry key may not be created correctly when an administrator or an OEM integrates or slipstreams the 892944 security update into the Windows installation source files.

Acknowledgments

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

• Kostya Kortchinsky with CERT RENATER for reporting the Message Queuing Vulnerability (CAN-2005-0059).

Obtaining Other Security Updates:

Updates for other security issues are available at the following locations:

• Security updates are available in the Microsoft Download Center. You can find them most easily by doing a keyword search for "security_patch."
• Updates for consumer platforms are available at the Windows Update Web site.

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.

Security Resources:

• The Microsoft TechNet Security Web site provides additional information about security in Microsoft products.
• Microsoft Software Update Services
• Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA)
• Windows Update
• Windows Update Catalog: For more information about the Windows Update Catalog, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 323166.
• Office Update

Software Update Services:

By using Microsoft Software Update Services (SUS), administrators can quickly and reliably deploy the latest critical updates and security updates to Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003-based servers, and to desktop systems that are running Windows 2000 Professional or Windows XP Professional.

For more information about how to deploy this security update by using Software Update Services, visit the Software Update Services Web site.

Systems Management Server:

Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) delivers a highly-configurable enterprise solution for managing updates. By using SMS, administrators can identify Windows-based systems that require security updates and can perform controlled deployment of these updates throughout the enterprise with minimal disruption to end users. For more information about how administrators can use SMS 2003 to deploy security updates, visit the SMS 2003 Security Patch Management Web site. SMS 2.0 users can also use Software Updates Service Feature Pack to help deploy security updates. For information about SMS, visit the SMS Web site.

Note SMS uses the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyze, Microsoft Office Detection Tool, and the Enterprise Update Scanning Tool to provide broad support for security bulletin update detection and deployment. Some software updates may not be detected by these tools. Administrators can use the inventory capabilities of the SMS in these cases to target updates to specific systems. For more information about this procedure, visit the following Web site. Some security updates require administrative rights following a restart of the system. Administrators can use the Elevated Rights Deployment Tool (available in the SMS 2003 Administration Feature Pack and in the SMS 2.0 Administration Feature Pack) to install these updates.

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 (April 12, 2005): Bulletin published
• V1.1 (April 14, 2005): Bulletin updated to reflect an updated “Registry Key Verification” section for the Windows XP Service Pack 1 security update

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