Security Bulletin

Microsoft Security Bulletin MS06-010 - Critical

Vulnerability in PowerPoint 2000 Could Allow Information Disclosure (889167)

Published: February 14, 2006

Version: 1.0

Summary

Who should read this document: Customers who use Microsoft PowerPoint 2000

Impact of Vulnerability: Information Disclosure

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:

Non-Affected Software:

  • Microsoft Office XP Service Pack 3
    • PowerPoint 2002
  • Microsoft Office 2003 Service Pack 1 or Service Pack 2
    • PowerPoint 2003

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.

General Information

Executive Summary

Executive Summary:

This update resolves a newly-discovered, privately-reported vulnerability. The vulnerability is documented in the "Vulnerability Details" section of this bulletin.

An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could remotely attempt to access objects in the Temporary Internet Files Folder (TIFF) explicitly by name. 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 useful information that could be used to try to further compromise the affected system.

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

Severity Ratings and Vulnerability Identifiers:

Vulnerability Identifiers Impact of Vulnerability Microsoft PowerPoint 2000
PowerPoint Temporary Internet Files Information Disclosure Vulnerability - CVE-2006-0004 Information Disclosure Important\

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.

Can I use the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) 1.2.1 to determine whether this update is required?
Yes, but for local scans only. MBSA uses an integrated version of the Office Detection Tool (ODT) which does not support remote scans of this issue. For more information about MBSA, visit theMBSA Web site. For more information about MBSA support, visit the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer 1.2 Q&A; Web site.

Can I use the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) 2.0 to determine whether this update is required?
No. MBSA 2.0 does not currently support the detection of PowerPoint 2000. You should use either the Office Detection Tool or MBSA 1.2.1 to determine if this update is required. MBSA 2.0 can detect security updates for products that Microsoft Update supports. For more information about the programs that Microsoft Update and MBSA 2.0 currently do not detect, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 895660. Can I use Systems Management Server (SMS) to determine whether this update is required?
Yes. SMS can help detect and deploy this security update. SMS uses MBSA for detection; therefore, SMS has the same limitation listed earlier in this bulletin related to programs that MBSA does not detect. The Security Update Inventory Tool can be used by SMS for detecting security updates that are offered by Windows Update, that are supported by Software Update Services, and other security updates that are supported by MBSA 1.2.1. For more information about the Security Update Inventory Tool, see the following Microsoft Web site. For more information about the limitations of the Security Update Inventory Tool, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 306460.

SMS can also use the Office Inventory Tool to detect for required updates for Microsoft Office applications.

For more information about SMS, visit the SMS Web site.

Vulnerability Details

PowerPoint Temporary Internet Files Information Disclosure Vulnerability - CVE-2006-0004:

An Information Disclosure vulnerability exists in PowerPoint. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could remotely attempt to access objects in the Temporary Internet Files Folder (TIFF) explicitly by name. 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 useful information that could be used to try to further compromise the affected system.

Mitigating Factors for PowerPoint Temporary Internet Files Information Disclosure Vulnerability - CVE-2006-0004:

  • In a Web-based attack scenario, an attacker would have to host a Web site that contains a Web page that is used to exploit this vulnerability. An attacker would have no way to force users to visit a malicious Web site. Instead, an attacker would have to persuade them to visit the Web site, typically by getting them to click a link that takes them to the attacker's Web site.

Workarounds for PowerPoint Temporary Internet Files Information Disclosure Vulnerability - CVE-2006-0004:

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.

  • Back up and remove the vnd.ms-powerpoint MIME type Removing the vnd.ms-powerpoint registry key helps protect the affected system from attempts to exploit this vulnerability. To backup and remove the vnd.ms-powerpoint registry key, follow these steps:

    Note Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk. For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys And Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or view the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe.

    Note We recommend backing up the registry before you edit it.

    1. Click Start, click Run, type “regedit" (without the quotation marks), and then click OK.
    2. Expand HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MIME\Database\Content Type, and then clickapplication/vnd.ms-powerpoint.
    3. Click File, and then click Export.
    4. In the Export Registry File dialog box, type a file name in the File Name box, and then click Save.
    5. Click Edit, and then click Delete to remove the registry key.
    6. In the Confirm Key Delete dialog box, you receive an “Are you sure you want to delete this key and all of its subkeys” message. Click Yes.

Impact of Workaround: This workaround removes the MIME entry point for PowerPoint.

  • Configuration of Internet Explorer to open Office documents in the appropriate Office program instead of in Internet Explorer

    1. Open My Computer.
    2. On the Tools menu (or the View menu), click Folder Options (or click Options).
    3. Click the File Types tab.
    4. In the Registered file types list, click the specific Office document type (for example**, Microsoft Excel Worksheet**), and then click Advanced (or click Edit).
    5. In the Edit File Type dialog box, click to clear the Browse in same window check box (or click to clear the Open Web documentsin place check box).
    6. Click OK.

    Note If you are running Terminal Server on Windows 2000 or Windows Server 2003, you may not be able to click Advanced to open the Edit File Type dialog box in step 4 of this procedure. This issue occurs if the NoFileAssociate policy is enabled. Enabling this policy prevents users (including administrators) from changing file type associations for all users. For additional information about this behavior, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 257592.

Impact of Workaround: This workaround configures Internet Explorer to open Office files in the appropriate Office program.

FAQ for PowerPoint Temporary Internet Files Information Disclosure Vulnerability - CVE-2006-0004:

What is the scope of the vulnerability?
This is an Information Disclosure vulnerability. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could remotely attempt to access objects in the Temporary Internet Files Folder (TIFF) explicitly by name. 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 useful information that could be used to try to further compromise the affected system.

What causes the vulnerability?
This issue is caused by the interaction between PowerPoint and Internet Explorer when PowerPoint attempts to render HTML data.

How could an attacker exploit the vulnerability?
In a Web-based attack scenario, an attacker would have to host a Web site that contains a PowerPoint presentation that is used to attempt to exploit this vulnerability. An attacker would have no way to force users to visit a malicious Web site. Instead, an attacker would have to persuade them to visit the Web site, typically by getting them to click a link that takes them to the attacker's site.

If the user is enticed into clicking the PowerPoint presentation, the attacker’s malicious script will run and can attempt to access objects in the Temporary Internet Files Folder (TIFF) explicitly by name.

What systems are primarily at risk from the vulnerability?
Workstations and terminal servers are primarily at risk. Servers could be at more risk if users who do not have sufficient administrative permissions are given the ability to log on to servers and to run programs. However, best practices strongly discourage allowing this.

What does the update do?
The update modifies PowerPoint such that, when the user clicks on a PowerPoint presentation on a Web site, PowerPoint warns the user that the presentation about to be opened may be unsafe. In such a case, the user may then cancel opening the presentation.

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.

Security Update Information

Affected Software:

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

PowerPoint 2000

Prerequisites and Additional Update Details

Important Before you install this update, make sure that the following requirements have been met:

For additional information about how to determine the version of Office 2000 that is installed on your computer, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 255275.

Inclusion in Future Service Packs

None. Service Pack 3 is the last service pack for Office 2000.

Restart Requirement

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

After you install the update, you cannot remove it. To revert to an installation before the update was installed you must remove the application, and then install it again from the original CD-ROM.

Automated Client Installation Information

Office Update Web Site

We recommend that you install the Microsoft Office 2000 client updates by using the Office Update Web site. The Office Update Web site detects your particular installation and prompts you to install exactly what you must have to make sure that your installation is completely up to date.

To have the Office Update Web site detect the updates that you must install on your computer, visit the Office Update Web site, and then click Check for Updates. After detection is complete, you will receive a list of recommended updates for your approval. Click Agree and Install to complete the process.

Manual Client Installation Information

For detailed information about how to manually install this update, review the following section.

Installation Information

The security update supports the following setup switches.

Switch Description
/q Specifies quiet mode, or suppresses prompts, when files are being extracted.
/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 Override install command defined by author. Specifies the 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.
/n:v No version checking - Install the program over any earlier version.

Note These switches do not necessarily work with all updates. If a switch is not available, that functionality is required for the correct installation of the update. Also, using the /n:v switch is unsupported and may result in an unbootable system. If the installation is unsuccessful, you should contact your support professional to understand why it could not install.

For additional information about the supported setup switches, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 197147.

Client Deployment Information

  1. Download the client version of this security update.
  2. Click Save this program to disk, and then click OK.
  3. Click Save.
  4. Using Windows Explorer, find the folder that contains the saved file, and then double-click the saved file.
  5. If you are prompted to install the update, click Yes.
  6. Click Yes to accept the License Agreement.
  7. Insert your original source CD-ROM when you are prompted to do so, and then click OK.
  8. When you receive a message that states the installation was successful, click OK.

Note If the security update is already installed on your computer, you receive the following error message: This update has already been applied or is included in an update that has already been applied.

Client Installation File Information

The English version of this 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.

PowerPoint 2000:

File Name Version Date Time Size
Powerpnt.exe 9.0.0.8936 28-Dec-2005 00:36 4,259,892

Verifying that the Update Has Been Applied

  • Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer

    To verify that a security update has been installed on an affected system, you can 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.

Administrative Installation Information

If you installed your application from a server location, the server administrator must update the server location with the administrative update and deploy that update to your computer.

Installation Information

The following setup switches are relevant to administrative installations as they allow an administrator to customize how the files are extracted from the security update.

Switch Description
/? Displays the command-line options.
/q Specifies quiet mode, or suppresses prompts, when files are being extracted.
/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 Overrides the install command that is defined by author. Specifies the path and name of the Setup.inf or .exe file.

For additional information about the supported setup switches, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 197147.

Administrative Deployment Information

To update your administrative installation, perform the following procedure:

  1. Download the administrative version of this security update.
  2. Click Save this program to disk, and then click OK.
  3. Click Save.
  4. Using Windows Explorer, locate the folder that contains the saved file and run the following command line to extract the .msp file: [path\name of EXE file] /c /t:C:\AdminUpdate Note Double-clicking the .exe file does not extract the .msp file; it applies the update to the local computer. In order to update an administrative image, you must first extract the .msp file.
  5. Click Yes to accept the License Agreement.
  6. Click Yes if you are prompted to create the folder.
  7. If you are familiar with the procedure for updating your administrative installation**,** click Start, and then click Run. Type the following command in the Open box: msiexec /a Admin Path\MSI File /p C:\adminUpdate\MSP File SHORTFILENAMES=TRUE Note Admin Path is the path of your administrative installation point for your application (for example, C:\Office2000), MSI File is the .msi database package for the application (for example, Data1.msi), and MSP File is the name of the administrative update (for example, SHAREDff.msp). Note You can append /qb+ to the command line so that the Administrative Installation dialog box and the End User License Agreement dialog box do not appear.
  8. Click Next in the provided dialog box. Do not change your CD Key, installation location, or company name in the provided dialog box.
  9. Click I accept the terms in the License Agreement, and then click Install.

At this point, your administrative installation point is updated. Next, you must update the workstations configurations that were originally installed from this administrative installation. To do this, please review the “Workstation Deployment Information” section. Any new installations that you run from this administrative installation point will include the update.

Warning Any workstation configuration that was originally installed from this administrative installation before you installed the update cannot use this administrative installation for actions like repairing Office or adding new features until you complete the steps in the “Workstation Deployment Information” section for this workstation.

Workstation Deployment Information

To deploy the update to the client workstations, click Start, and then click Run. Type the following command in the Open box:

msiexec /i Admin Path\MSI File /qb REINSTALL=Feature List REINSTALLMODE=vomu

Note Admin Path is the path of your administrative installation point for your application (for example, C:\Office2000), MSI File is the .msi database package for the application (for example, Data1.msi), and Feature List is the list of feature names (case sensitive) that must be reinstalled for the update.

To install all features, you can use REINSTALL=ALL or you can install the following features.

Product Feature
Microsoft PowerPoint 2000 PPTFiles

Note Administrators working in managed environments can find complete resources for deploying Office updates in an organization at the Office Admin Update Center. At that site, scroll down and look under the Update Resources section for the software version you are updating. The Windows Installer Documentation also provides additional information about the parameters supported by Windows Installer.

Administrative Installation File Information

The English version of this 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.

PowerPoint 2000:

File Name Version Date Time Size
Powerpnt.exe 9.0.0.8936 28-Dec-2005 00:36 4,259,892

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 can 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.

Other Information

Acknowledgments

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

  • Yorick Koster of ITsec Security Services for reporting PowerPoint Temporary Internet Files Information Disclosure Vulnerability - CVE-2006-0004.
  • Andreas Sandblad for reporting a similar issue.

Obtaining Other Security Updates:

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

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:

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-based servers to 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 security updates by using Software Update Services, visit the Software Update Services Web site.

Windows Server Update Services:

By using Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), administrators can quickly and reliably deploy the latest critical updates and security updates for Windows 2000 operating systems and later, Microsoft Office XP and later, Microsoft Exchange Server 2003, and Microsoft SQL Server 2000 onto Windows 2000 and later operating systems.

For more information about how to deploy security updates using Windows Server Update Services, visit the Windows Server 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 Analyzer, the Office Detection Tool, and the Enterprise Update Scan 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 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 (February 14, 2006): Bulletin published.

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