Security Bulletin
Microsoft Security Bulletin MS07-066 - Important
Vulnerability in Windows Kernel Could Allow Elevation of Privilege (943078)
Published: December 11, 2007 | Updated: December 19, 2007
Version: 1.2
General Information
Executive Summary
This important security update resolves a privately reported vulnerability in the Windows kernel. 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 administrative rights.
This is an important security update for supported editions of Windows Vista. For more information, see the subsection, Affected and Non-Affected Software, in this section.
For more information about the vulnerabilities, see the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) subsection for the specific vulnerability entry under the next section, Vulnerability Information.
Recommendation. Microsoft recommends that customers apply the update at the earliest opportunity.
Known Issues. None
Affected and Non-Affected Software
The following software have 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, visit Microsoft Support Lifecycle.
Affected Software
| Operating System | Maximum Security Impact | Aggregate Severity Rating | Bulletins Replaced by this Update |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows Vista | Elevation of Privilege | Important | None |
| Windows Vista x64 Edition | Elevation of Privilege | Important | None |
Non-Affected Software
| Operating System |
|---|
| Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 |
| Windows XP Service Pack 2 |
| Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2 |
| Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 |
| Windows Server 2003 with SP1 for Itanium-based Systems and Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium based systems |
| Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition and Windows Server x64 Edition Service Pack 2 |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Related to This Security Update
I am using an older version of the software discussed in this security bulletin. What should I do?
The affected software listed in this bulletin have been tested to determine which versions or editions are affected. Other versions or editions are past their support life cycle. To determine the support life cycle for your software version or edition, visit Microsoft Support Lifecycle.
It should be a priority for customers who have older versions or editions of the software to migrate to supported versions or editions to prevent potential exposure to vulnerabilities. For more information about the Windows Product Lifecycle, visit Microsoft Support Lifecycle. For more information about the extended security update support period for these software versions or editions, visit Microsoft Product Support Services.
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, visit Microsoft Worldwide Information, 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.
Vulnerability Information
Severity Ratings and Vulnerability Identifiers
| Affected Software | Windows Kernel Vulnerability - CVE-2007-5350 | Aggregate Severity Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Windows Vista | ImportantElevation of Privilege | Important |
| Windows Vista x64 Edition | ImportantElevation of Privilege | Important |
Windows Kernel Vulnerability - CVE-2007-5350
An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in the way that the Windows kernel processes certain access requests. This vulnerability could allow an attacker to run code and to take complete control of the system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full administrative rights.
To view this vulnerability as a standard entry in the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures list, see CVE-2007-5350.
Mitigating Factors for Windows Kernel Vulnerability - CVE-2007-5350
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. The vulnerability could not be exploited remotely or by anonymous users.
Workarounds for Windows Kernel Vulnerability - CVE-2007-5350
Microsoft has not identified any workarounds for this vulnerability.
FAQ for Windows Kernel Vulnerability - CVE-2007-5350
What is the scope of the vulnerability?
This is an elevation of privilege vulnerability. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of an affected system, including installing programs; viewing, changing, or deleting data; or creating new accounts that have full privileges.
What causes the vulnerability?
Windows Advanced Local Procedure Call (ALPC) improperly validates certain conditions in legacy reply paths.
What is the kernel?
The kernel is the core of the operating system and it provides basic services for all other parts of the operating system.
What might an attacker use the vulnerability to do?
An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of an affected system, including installing programs; viewing, changing, or deleting data; or creating new accounts that have full privileges.
How could an attacker exploit the vulnerability?
To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would first have to log on to the system. An attacker could then run a specially crafted application that could exploit the vulnerability and take complete control over the affected system.
What systems are primarily at risk from the vulnerability?
Systems that are running Windows Vista are the systems that are primarily at risk.
What does the update do?
The update removes the vulnerability by modifying the way that the Windows kernel validates certain conditions in legacy reply paths.
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.
Update Information
Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance
Manage the software and security updates you need to deploy to the servers, desktop, and mobile computers in your organization. For more information see the TechNet Update Management Center. The Microsoft TechNet Security Web site provides additional information about security in Microsoft products.
Security updates are available from Microsoft Update, Windows Update, and Office Update. Security updates are also available from the Microsoft Download Center. You can find them most easily by doing a keyword search for "security update."
Finally, security updates can be downloaded from the Microsoft Update Catalog. The Microsoft Update Catalog provides a searchable catalog of content made available through Windows Update and Microsoft Update, including security updates, drivers and service packs. By searching using the security bulletin number (such as, “MS07-036”), you can add all of the applicable updates to your basket (including different languages for an update), and download to the folder of your choosing. For more information about the Microsoft Update Catalog, see the Microsoft Update Catalog FAQ.
Detection and Deployment Guidance
Microsoft has provided detection and deployment guidance for this month’s security updates. This guidance will also help IT professionals understand how they can use various tools to help deploy the security update, such as Windows Update, Microsoft Update, Office Update, the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA), the Office Detection Tool, Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS), and the Extended Security Update Inventory Tool. For more information, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 910723.
Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer
Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) allows administrators to scan local and remote systems for missing security updates as well as common security misconfigurations. For more information about MBSA, visit Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer.
The following table provides the MBSA detection summary for this security update.
| Software | MBSA 2.0.1 |
|---|---|
| Windows Vista | See Note for Windows Vista below |
| Windows Vista x64 Edition | See Note for Windows Vista below |
Note for Windows Vista Microsoft does not support installing MBSA 2.0.1 on computers that run Windows Vista, but you may install MBSA 2.0.1 on a supported operating system and then scan the Windows Vista-based computer remotely. For additional information about MBSA support for Windows Vista, visit the MBSA Web site. See also Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 931943: Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) support for Windows Vista.
For more information about MBSA 2.0.1, see MBSA 2.0 Frequently Asked Questions.
Windows Server Update Services
By using Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), administrators can 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 to Windows 2000 and later operating systems. For more information about how to deploy this security update using Windows Server Update Services, visit the Windows Server Update Services Web site.
Systems Management Server
The following table provides the SMS detection and deployment summary for this security update.
| Software | SMS 2.0 | SMS 2003 |
|---|---|---|
| Windows Vista | No | See Note for Windows Vista below |
| Windows Vista x64 Edition | No | See Note for Windows Vista below |
For SMS 2.0, the SMS SUS Feature Pack, which includes the Security Update Inventory Tool (SUIT), can be used by SMS to detect security updates. See also Downloads for Systems Management Server 2.0.
For SMS 2003, the SMS 2003 Inventory Tool for Microsoft Updates (ITMU) can be used by SMS to detect security updates that are offered by Microsoft Update and that are supported by Windows Server Update Services. For more information about the SMS 2003 ITMU, see SMS 2003 Inventory Tool for Microsoft Updates. SMS 2003 can also use the Microsoft Office Inventory Tool to detect required updates for Microsoft Office applications. For more information about the Office Inventory Tool and other scanning tools, see SMS 2003 Software Update Scanning Tools. See also Downloads for Systems Management Server 2003.
Note for Windows Vista Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003 with Service Pack 3 includes support for Windows Vista manageability.
For more information about SMS, visit the SMS Web site.
For more detailed information, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 910723: Summary list of monthly detection and deployment guidance articles.
Security Update Information
Affected Software
For information about the specific security update for your affected software, click the appropriate link:
Windows Vista (all editions)
Reference Table
The following table contains the security update information for this software. You can find additional information in the subsection, Deployment Information, in this section.
| Inclusion in Future Service Packs | The update for this issue may be included in a future update rollup |
|---|---|
| Deployment | |
| Installing without user intervention | All supported 32-bit editions of Windows Vista:\ Windows6.0-kb943078-x86-enu /quiet\ All supported x64-based editions of Windows Vista:\ Windows6.0-kb943078-x64-enu /quiet |
| Installing without restarting temporarily | All supported 32-bit editions of Windows Vista:\ Windows6.0-kb943078-x86-enu /norestart\ All supported x64-based editions of Windows Vista:\ Windows6.0-kb943078-x64-enu /norestart |
| Further information | See the subsection, Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance |
| Restart Requirement | |
| Restart required | Yes, you must restart your system after you apply this security update |
| Hotpatching | Not applicable |
| 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 the next subsection, File Information, for the full file manifest.\ \ Note: A registry key does not exist to validate the presence of this patch. To detect the presence of the patch, use Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI). |
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.
For all supported and affected 32-bit editions of Windows Vista:
| File Name | Version | Date | Time | Size | Folder |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ntkrnlpa.exe | 6.0.6000.16575 | 10-Oct-2007 | 11:01 | 3,504,824 | Windows6.0-KB943078-x86\x86_microsoft-windows-os-kernel_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6000.16575_none_6a037312b730c69a |
| ntoskrnl.exe | 6.0.6000.16575 | 10-Oct-2007 | 11:01 | 3,470,520 | Windows6.0-KB943078-x86\x86_microsoft-windows-os-kernel_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6000.16575_none_6a037312b730c69a |
| ntkrnlpa.exe | 6.0.6000.20697 | 10-Oct-2007 | 10:55 | 3,505,848 | Windows6.0-KB943078-x86\x86_microsoft-windows-os-kernel_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6000.20697_none_6a797099d05cd0f4 |
| ntoskrnl.exe | 6.0.6000.20697 | 10-Oct-2007 | 10:55 | 3,472,056 | Windows6.0-KB943078-x86\x86_microsoft-windows-os-kernel_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6000.20697_none_6a797099d05cd0f4 |
For all supported and affected x64-based editions of Windows Vista:
| File Name | Version | Date | Time | Size | CPU | Folder |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ntoskrnl.exe | 6.0.6000.16575 | 10-Oct-2007 | 12:10 | 4,428,472 | x64 | Windows6.0-KB943078-x64\amd64_microsoft-windows-os-kernel_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6000.16575_none_c6220e966f8e37d0 |
| ntoskrnl.exe | 6.0.6000.20697 | 10-Oct-2007 | 11:49 | 4,429,496 | x64 | Windows6.0-KB943078-x64\amd64_microsoft-windows-os-kernel_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6000.20697_none_c6980c1d88ba422a |
Note For a complete list of supported versions, see the Support Lifecycle Index. For a complete list of service packs, see Lifecycle Supported Service Packs. For more information on the support lifecycle policy, see Microsoft Support Lifecycle.
Deployment Information
Installing the Update
When you install this security update, the installer checks whether one or more of the files that are being updated on your system have previously been updated by a Windows hotfix. If you have previously installed a hotfix to update one of these files, the installer will apply the LDR version of this update. Otherwise, the installer will apply the GDR version of the update. The LDR version of a file has a higher version number than the GDR version of a file. For more information about this behavior, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 824994. For more information about the installer, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 934307.
For more information about the terminology that appears in this bulletin, such as hotfix, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 824684.
This security update supports the following setup switches.
| Switch | Description |
|---|---|
| /?, /h, /help | Displays help on supported switches. |
| /quiet | Suppresses the display of status or error messages. |
| /norestart | When combined with /quiet, the system will not be restarted after installation even if a restart is required to complete installation. |
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.
Removing the Update
To remove this update, click Control Panel, click Security, then under Windows Update, click View installed updates and select from the list of updates.”
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. See the section, Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance, earlier in this bulletin for more information.
File Version Verification
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.
- Click Start, and then click Search.
- In the Search Results pane, click All files and folders under Search Companion.
- In the All or part of the file name box, type a file name from the appropriate file information table, and then click Search.
- 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. - On the General tab, determine the modified date of the file that is installed on your computer by comparing it to the modified date that is documented in the appropriate file information table. The files in this package do not have version numbers.
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 recommended method of verifying that the update has been applied. However the files updated for this security patch do not contain file version information so using file attributes information used to verify the update is a detection mechanisms. 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:
- Thomas Garnier of SkyRecon for reporting the Windows Kernel Vulnerability (CVE-2007-5350).
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.
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 (December 11, 2007) Bulletin published.
- V1.1 (December 12, 2007) Bulletin updated to reflect that user rights on the system are not a mitigating factor for the vulnerability.
- V1.2 (December 19, 2007) Bulletin updated to reflect a change to the Removal Information text in the Reference Table portion of the Security Update Information section.
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