__________________________________________________________ The U.S. Department of Energy Computer Incident Advisory Capability ___ __ __ _ ___ / | /_\ / \___ __|__ / \ \___ __________________________________________________________ INFORMATION BULLETIN Vulnerabilities in Microsoft Excel [MS06-059 (924164)] October 10, 2006 19:00 GMT Number R-009 [REVISED 19 Oct 2006] [REVISED 13 Dec 2006] ______________________________________________________________________________ PROBLEM: A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Excel. PLATFORM: Microsoft Excel 2000 Microsoft Excel 2002 Microsoft Office Excel 2003 Microsoft Office Excel Viewer 2003 Microsoft Excel 2004 for Mac Microsoft Excel v. X for Mac Microsoft Works Suite 2004 Microsoft Works Suite 2005 Microsoft Works Suite 2006 Storage Management Appliance v2.1 Software running on: I, II, III DAMAGE: If a user were logged on with administrative user rights, an attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of an affected system. SOLUTION: Apply current patches. ______________________________________________________________________________ VULNERABILITY The risk is HIGH. An attacker who successfully exploited this ASSESSMENT: vulnerability could take complete control of an affected system. ______________________________________________________________________________ LINKS: CIAC BULLETIN: http://www.ciac.org/ciac/bulletins/r-009.shtml ORIGINAL BULLETIN: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS06-059.mspx ADDITIONAL LINK: Visit Hewlett-Packard's Subscription Service for: HPSBST02161 SSRT061264 rev. 1 CVE: http://www.cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name= CVE-2006-2387 CVE-2006-3431 CVE-2006-3867 CVE-2006-3875 ______________________________________________________________________________ REVISION HISTORY: 10/19/2006 - revised to add a link to Hewlett-Packard HSPBST02161 SSRT061264 rev. 1 for Storage Management Appliance v2.1 Software running on I, II, III 12/13/2006 - to note that Microsoft addressed the issues identified in Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 924164 [***** Start MS06-059 (924164) *****] Microsoft Security Bulletin MS06-059 Vulnerabilities in Microsoft Excel Could Allow Remote Code Execution (924164) Published: October 10, 2006 | Updated: December 12, 2006 Version: 2.0 Summary Who Should Read this Document: Customers who use Microsoft Excel Impact of Vulnerability: Remote Code Execution Maximum Severity Rating: Critical Recommendation: Customers should apply the update immediately Security Update Replacement: This bulletin replaces a prior security update. See the frequently asked questions (FAQ) section of this bulletin for the complete list. Caveats: None Tested Software and Security Update Download Locations: Affected Software: • Microsoft Office 2000 Service Pack 3 • Microsoft Excel 2000 — Download the update (KB923090) • Microsoft Office XP Service Pack 3 • Microsoft Excel 2002 — Download the update (KB923089) • Microsoft Office 2003 Service Pack 1 or Service Pack 2 • Microsoft Office Excel 2003 — Download the update (KB923088) • Microsoft Office Excel Viewer 2003 - Download the update (KB923275) • Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac • Microsoft Excel 2004 for Mac - Download the update (KB924999) • Microsoft Office v. X for Mac • Microsoft Excel v. X for Mac - Download the update (KB924998) • Microsoft Works Suites: • Microsoft Works Suite 2004 - Download the update (KB923089) (same as the Microsoft Excel 2002 update) • Microsoft Works Suite 2005 - Download the update (KB923089) (same as the Microsoft Excel 2002 update) • Microsoft Works Suite 2006 - Download the update (KB923089) (same as the Microsoft Excel 2002 update) 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. Top of sectionTop of section General Information Executive Summary Executive Summary: This update addresses several newly discovered, privately reported and public vulnerabilities. Each vulnerability is documented in this bulletin in its own "Vulnerability Details" section. When using vulnerable versions of Office, if a user were logged on with administrative user rights, an attacker who successfully exploited these vulnerabilities could take complete control of the client workstation. 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. We recommend that customers apply the update immediately. Severity Ratings and Vulnerability Identifiers: Vulnerability Identifiers Impact of Vulnerability Microsoft Excel 2000 Microsoft Excel 2002 Microsoft Excel 2003 and Excel Viewer 2003 Microsoft Excel 2004 for Mac and Excel v.X for Mac Excel Malformed DATETIME Record Vulnerability - CVE-2006-2387 Remote Code Execution Critical Important Important Important Excel Malformed STYLE Record Vulnerability - CVE-2006-3431 Remote Code Execution Critical Important Important Important Excel Handling of Lotus 1-2-3 File Vulnerability - CVE-2006-3867 Remote Code Execution Critical Important Important Important Excel Malformed COLINFO Record Vulnerability - CVE-2006-3875 Remote Code Execution Critical Important Important Important Aggregate Severity of All Vulnerabilities Critical Important Important 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. Note The severity ratings for Microsoft Works Suite maps to the Microsoft Excel versions as follows: • The Microsoft Works Suite 2004 severity rating is the same as the Microsoft Excel 2002 severity rating. • The Microsoft Works Suite 2005 severity rating is the same as the Microsoft Excel 2002 severity rating. • The Microsoft Works Suite 2006 severity rating is the same as the Microsoft Excel 2002 severity rating. Top of sectionTop of section Vulnerability Details Excel Malformed DATETIME Record Vulnerability - CVE-2006-2387: A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Excel. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability when Excel parses a file and processes a malformed DATETIME record. If a user were 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 affected than users who operate with administrative user rights. Mitigating Factors for Excel Malformed DATETIME Record Vulnerability - CVE-2006-2387: • An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could gain the same user rights as the local user. 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. • In a Web-based attack scenario, an attacker would have to host a Web site that contains an Excel file that is used to attempt to exploit this vulnerability. In addition, compromised Web sites and Web sites that accept or host user-provided content could contain specially crafted content that could 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. • The vulnerability cannot be exploited automatically through e-mail. For an attack to be successful a user must open an attachment that is sent in an e-mail message. • Users who have installed and are using the Office Document Open Confirmation Tool for Office 2000 will be prompted with Open, Save, or Cancel before opening a document. The features of the Office Document Open Confirmation Tool are incorporated in Office XP and Office 2003. Top of sectionTop of section Excel Malformed STYLE Record Vulnerability - CVE-2006-3431: A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Excel. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability when Excel parses a file and processes a malformed STYLE record. If a user were 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 affected than users who operate with administrative user rights. Mitigating Factors for Excel Malformed STYLE Record Vulnerability - CVE-2006-3431: • An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could gain the same user rights as the local user. 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. • In a Web-based attack scenario, an attacker would have to host a Web site that contains an Excel file that is used to attempt to exploit this vulnerability. In addition, compromised Web sites and Web sites that accept or host user-provided content could contain specially crafted content that could 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. • The vulnerability cannot be exploited automatically through e-mail. For an attack to be successful a user must open an attachment that is sent in an e-mail message. • Users who have installed and are using the Office Document Open Confirmation Tool for Office 2000 will be prompted with Open, Save, or Cancel before opening a document. The features of the Office Document Open Confirmation Tool are incorporated in Office XP and Office 2003. Top of sectionTop of section Excel Handling of Lotus 1-2-3 File Vulnerability - CVE-2006-3867: A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Excel. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability when Excel handles a Lotus 1-2-3 file. If a user were 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 affected than users who operate with administrative user rights. Mitigating Factors for Excel Handling of Lotus 1-2-3 File Vulnerability - CVE-2006-3867: • An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could gain the same user rights as the local user. 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. • In a Web-based attack scenario, an attacker would have to host a Web site that contains a Lotus 1-2-3 file which Excel opens that is used to attempt to exploit this vulnerability. In addition, compromised Web sites and Web sites that accept or host user-provided content could contain specially crafted content that could 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. • The vulnerability cannot be exploited automatically through e-mail. For an attack to be successful a user must open an attachment that is sent in an e-mail message. • Users who have installed and are using the Office Document Open Confirmation Tool for Office 2000 will be prompted with Open, Save, or Cancel before opening a document. The features of the Office Document Open Confirmation Tool are incorporated in Office XP and Office 2003. Top of sectionTop of section Malformed COLINFO Record Vulnerability - CVE-2006-3875: A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Excel. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability when Excel parses a file and processes a malformed COLINFO record. If a user were 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 affected than users who operate with administrative user rights. Mitigating Factors for Malformed COLINFO Record Vulnerability - CVE-2006-3875: • An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could gain the same user rights as the local user. 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. • In a Web-based attack scenario, an attacker would have to host a Web site that contains an Excel file that is used to attempt to exploit this vulnerability. In addition, compromised Web sites and Web sites that accept or host user-provided content could contain specially crafted content that could 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. • The vulnerability cannot be exploited automatically through e-mail. For an attack to be successful a user must open an attachment that is sent in an e-mail message. • Users who have installed and are using the Office Document Open Confirmation Tool for Office 2000 will be prompted with Open, Save, or Cancel before opening a document. The features of the Office Document Open Confirmation Tool are incorporated in Office XP and Office 2003. Top of sectionTop of section Acknowledgments Microsoft thanks the following for working with us to help protect customers: • Manuel Santamarina Suarez working with Zero Day Initiative (ZDI) and TippingPoint for reporting the Excel File Format Parsing Overflow Vulnerability - CVE-2006-2387. • NSFocus Security Team for reporting the Excel Malformed COLINFO Record Vulnerability - CVE-2006-3875. Obtaining Other Security Updates: Updates for other security issues are available at the following locations: • Security updates are available at 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 Microsoft 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. • TechNet Update Management Center • Microsoft Software Update Services • Microsoft Windows Server Update Services • Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) • Windows Update • Microsoft 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 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, Office XP and later, Exchange Server 2003, and 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 Microsoft 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 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 (October 10, 2006): Bulletin published. [***** End MS06-059 (924164) *****] _______________________________________________________________________________ CIAC wishes to acknowledge the contributions of Microsoft for the information contained in this bulletin. _______________________________________________________________________________ CIAC, the Computer Incident Advisory Capability, is the computer security incident response team for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the emergency backup response team for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). CIAC is located at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, California. CIAC is also a founding member of FIRST, the Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams, a global organization established to foster cooperation and coordination among computer security teams worldwide. CIAC services are available to DOE, DOE contractors, and the NIH. 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Neither the United States Government nor the University of California nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation or favoring by the United States Government or the University of California. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or the University of California, and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes. 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