Security Bulletin
Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-018 - Critical
Vulnerability in Microsoft Project Could Allow Remote Code Execution (950183)
Published: April 08, 2008 | Updated: September 10, 2008
Version: 1.3
General Information
Executive Summary
This security update resolves a privately reported vulnerability in Microsoft Project that could allow remote code execution if a user opens a specially crafted Project file. 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 impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights.
This security update is rated Critical for Microsoft Project 2000 Service Release 1 and rated Important for Microsoft Project 2002 Service Pack 1, and Microsoft Project 2003 Service Pack 2. For more information, see the subsection, Affected and Non-Affected Software, in this section.
This security update addresses this vulnerability by modifying the way that Microsoft Project calculates the required memory allocation when opening Project. For more information about the vulnerability, 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 immediately
Known Issues. Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 950183 documents the currently known issues and recommended solutions that customers may experience when installing this security update. When currently known issues and recommended solutions pertain only to specific releases of this software, this article provides links to further articles.
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
| Office Software | Maximum Security Impact | Aggregate Severity Rating | Bulletins Replaced by this Update |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Project 2000 Service Release 1\ (KB949043) | Remote Code Execution | Critical | None |
| Microsoft Project 2002 Service Pack 1\ (KB949005) | Remote Code Execution | Important | None |
| Microsoft Project 2003 Service Pack 2\ (KB948962) | Remote Code Execution | Important | None |
Non-Affected Software
| Office and Other Software |
|---|
| Microsoft Project 2003 Service Pack 3 |
| Microsoft Project Server 2003 |
| Microsoft Project Server 2003 Service Pack 3 |
| Microsoft Project 2007 |
| Microsoft Project 2007 Service Pack 1 |
| Microsoft Project Portfolio Server 2007 |
| Microsoft Project Server 2007 |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Related to This Security Update
Why is this update Critical for Project 2000 but only Important for all other affected versions of Project?
Microsoft Project 2002 and later versions have a built-in feature that prompts a user to Open, Save, or Cancel before opening a document. This mitigating factor reduces the vulnerability from Critical to Important because the vulnerability requires more than a single user action to complete the exploit.
I use Microsoft Office 2003 Service Pack 2. Are any additional security features included in this update?
Yes, as part of the servicing model for Microsoft Office 2003, when users of Microsoft Office 2003 Service Pack 2 install this update, their systems will be upgraded to security functionality that was initially released with Microsoft Office 2003 Service Pack 3. All updates released after January 1, 2008 for Microsoft Office 2003 Service Pack 2 will include these security features, which were introduced in Microsoft Office 2003 Service Pack 3. We have thoroughly tested this update, but as with all updates, we recommend that users perform testing appropriate to the environment and configuration of their systems. For more information on this issue, please see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 951646.
Where are the file information details?
The file information details can be found in Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 950183.
I am using an older release 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 releases are affected. Other releases are past their support life cycle. To determine the support life cycle for your software release, visit Microsoft Support Lifecycle.
It should be a priority for customers who have older releases of the software to migrate to supported releases 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 releases 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.
I use Microsoft Project 2003 Service Pack 3. Why am I still being offered this update?
Microsoft Project 2003 Service Pack 3 is not affected by the security vulnerabilities documented in this bulletin. However, users will still be offered this update because the update files for Microsoft Project 2003 Service Pack 3 are newer (with higher version numbers) than the files that are currently on your system. We have thoroughly tested this update, but as with all updates, we recommend that users perform testing appropriate to the environment and configuration of their systems.
Does the offer to update a non-vulnerable version of Microsoft Project constitute a flaw in the Microsoft update mechanism?
No, the update mechanism is functioning correctly in that it detects a lower version of the files on the system than in the update package and thus, offers the update.
What is included in the Microsoft Project update that causes the higher version of the update files?
The update files include changes to support stability changes in Microsoft Project and additional changes to support corporate environment changes requested by customers. We have thoroughly tested this update, but as with all updates, we recommend that users perform testing appropriate to the environment and configuration of their systems.
Vulnerability Information
Severity Ratings and Vulnerability Identifiers
| Affected Software | Project Memory Validation Vulnerability CVE-2008-1088 | Aggregate Severity Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Project 2000 Service Release 1 | Critical\ Remote Code Execution | Critical |
| Microsoft Project 2002 Service Pack 1 | Important\ Remote Code Execution | Important |
| Microsoft Project 2003 Service Pack 2 | Important\ Remote Code Execution | Important |
Project Memory Validation Vulnerability - CVE-2008-1088
A remote code execution vulnerability exists in the way Microsoft Project handles specially crafted Project files. An attacker could exploit the vulnerability by sending a malformed file which could be included as an e-mail attachment, or hosted on a specially crafted or compromised Web site.
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.
To view this vulnerability as a standard entry in the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures list, see CVE-2008-1088.
Mitigating Factors for Project Memory Validation Vulnerability - CVE-2008-1088
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:
- In a Web-based attack scenario, an attacker could host a Web site that contains a Web page that is used to exploit this vulnerability. In addition, compromised Web sites and Web sites that accept or host user-provided content or advertisements could contain specially crafted content that could exploit this vulnerability. In all cases, however, an attacker would have no way to force users to visit these Web sites. Instead, an attacker would have to convince users to visit the Web site, typically by getting them to click a link in an e-mail message or Instant Messenger message that takes users to the attacker's Web site.
- 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.
- 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 later editions of Office.
Workarounds for Project Memory Validation Vulnerability - CVE-2008-1088
Workaround refers to a setting or configuration change that does not correct the underlying vulnerability but would help block known attack vectors before you apply the update. Microsoft has tested the following workarounds and states in the discussion whether a workaround reduces functionality:
- Do not open or save Microsoft Office files that you receive from untrusted sources or that you receive unexpectedly from trusted sources. This vulnerability could be exploited when a user opens a specially crafted file.
FAQ for Project Memory Validation Vulnerability - CVE-2008-1088
What is the scope of the vulnerability?
This is a remote code execution vulnerability. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of an affected system remotely. An attacker could then install programs or view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights.
What causes the vulnerability?
Microsoft Project does not properly validate memory resource allocations when opening Project files.
What might an attacker use the vulnerability to do?
An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code as the logged-on user. If a user is logged on with administrative user rights, an attacker could take complete control of the 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 impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights.
How could an attacker exploit the vulnerability?
This vulnerability requires that a user open a malformed Project file with an affected version of Microsoft Project.
In an e-mail attack scenario, an attacker could exploit the vulnerability by sending a malformed Project file to the user and by convincing the user to open the file.
In a Web-based attack scenario, an attacker would have to host a Web site that contains an Office 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 specially crafted Web site. Instead, an attacker would have to convince users to visit the Web site, typically by getting them to click a link that takes them to the attacker's site.
What systems are primarily at risk from the vulnerability?
Systems where Microsoft Project is used are primarily at risk. Servers could be at more risk if administrators allow users to log on to servers and to run programs. However, best practices strongly discourage allowing this.
What does the update do?
The update removes the vulnerability by modifying the way that Microsoft Project validates memory allocations when opening Project files from disk to memory.
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. This security bulletin addresses the privately disclosed vulnerability as well as additional issues discovered through internal investigations.
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 systems 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 |
|---|---|
| Microsoft Project 2000 Service Release 1 | No |
| Microsoft Project 2002 Service Pack 1 | Yes |
| Microsoft Project 2003 Service Pack 2 | Yes |
For more information about MBSA 2.0.1, see MBSA 2.0 Frequently Asked Questions.
Note For customers using legacy software not supported by MBSA 2.0.1, Microsoft Update, and Windows Server Update Services: please visit Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer and reference the Legacy Product Support section on how to create comprehensive security update detection with legacy tools.
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 with SUSFP | SMS 2003 with ITMU | SCCM 2007 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Project 2000 Service Release 1 | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Microsoft Project 2002 Service Pack 1 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Microsoft Project 2003 Service Pack 2 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
For SMS 2.0 and SMS 2003, the SMS SUS Feature Pack (SUSFP), 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.
System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) 2007 uses WSUS 3.0 for detection of updates. For more information about SCCM 2007 Software Update Management, visit System Center Configuration Manager 2007.
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.
Note If you have used an Administrative Installation Point (AIP) for deploying Office 2000, Office XP or Office 2003, you may not be able to deploy the update using SMS if you have updated the AIP from the original baseline. For more information, see the Office Administrative Installation Point heading in this section.
Office Administrative Installation Point
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 system.
- For supported versions of Microsoft Office 2000, see How to Create an Administrative Installation Point. For more information about how to change the source for a client system from an updated administrative installation point to an Office 2000 Service Pack 3 (SP3), see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 932889.
Note If you plan to manage software updates centrally from an updated administrative image, you can find more information in the article Updating Office 2000 Clients from a Patched Administrative Image. - For supported versions of Microsoft Office XP, see Creating an Administrative Installation Point. For more information on how to change the source for a client system from an updated administrative installation point to an Office XP original baseline source, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 922665.
Note If you plan to manage software updates centrally from an updated administrative image, you can find more information in the article Updating Office XP Clients from a Patched Administrative Image. - For supported versions of Microsoft Office 2003, see Creating an Administrative Installation Point. For more information on how to change the source for a client computer from an updated administrative installation point to an Office 2003 original baseline source or Service Pack 2 (SP2), see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 902349.
Note If you plan to manage software updates centrally from an updated administrative image, you can find more information in the article Distributing Office 2003 Product Updates.
Security Update Deployment
Affected Software
For information about the specific security update for your affected software, click the appropriate link:
Project 2000 (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 | There are no more service packs planned for this software. The update for this issue may be included in a future update rollup. |
|---|---|
| Deployment | |
| Installing without user intervention | Project2000-kb949043-fullfile-enu /q:a |
| Installing without restarting | Project2000-kb949043-fullfile-enu /r:n |
| Update log file | Not applicable |
| Further information | For detection and deployment, see the earlier section, **Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance.**For features you can selectively install, see the Office Features for Administrative Installations subsection in this section. |
| Restart Requirement | |
| Restart required? | This update does not require a restart. |
| Hotpatching | Not applicable |
| 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 media. |
| File Information | See Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 950183 |
| Registry Key Verification | Not applicable |
Office Features for Administrative Installations
Server administrators who use a Windows Installer Administrative Installation must update the server location. For more information about Administrative Installation Points, refer to the Office Administrative Installation Point information in the Detection and deployment Tools and Guidance subsection.
The following table contains 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 |
|---|---|
| O9PRJCLI | PROJECTFiles,ASSISTANTFiles,ProductFiles,PROJECTNonBootFiles |
Note Administrators working in managed environments can find 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 more information about the setup switches supported by Windows Installer.
Deployment Information
Installing the Update
You can install the update from the appropriate download link in the Affected and Non-Affected Software section. If you installed your application from a server location, the server administrator must instead update the server location with the administrative update and deploy that update to your system. For more information about Administrative Installation Points, refer to the Office Administrative Installation Point information in the Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance subsection.
This security update requires that Windows Installer 2.0 or later be installed on the system. All supported versions of Windows include Windows Installer 2.0 or a later version.
To install the latest version of Windows Installer, visit one of the following Microsoft Web sites:
- Windows Installer 3.1 Redistributable
- Windows Installer 2.0 Redistributable for Windows 2000 and Windows NT 4.0
- Windows Installer 2.0 Redistributable for Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98 SE, and Windows Millennium Edition
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 |
|---|---|
| /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 | Overrides the install command that is defined by author. Specifies the path and name of the Setup.inf or .exe file. |
| /r:n | Never restarts the system after installation. |
| /r:I | Prompts the user to restart the system if a restart is required, except when used with /q:a. |
| /r:a | Always restarts the system after installation. |
| /r:s | Restarts the system after installation without prompting the user. |
| /n:v | No version checking - Install the program over any earlier version. |
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.
Removing the Update
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 media.
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 and editions of Microsoft Office, the following steps may be different on your system. 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 Version tab, determine the version of the file that is installed on your system 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.
Project 2002 (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 | There are no more service packs planned for this software. The update for this issue may be included in a future update rollup. |
|---|---|
| Deployment | |
| Installing without user intervention | Project2002-kb949005-fullfile-enu /q:a |
| Installing without restarting | Project2002-kb949005-fullfile-enu /r:n |
| Update log file | Not applicable |
| Further information | For detection and deployment, see the earlier section, **Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance.**For features you can selectively install, see the Office Features for Administrative Installations subsection in this section. |
| Restart Requirement | |
| Restart required? | This update does not require a restart. |
| Hotpatching | Not applicable |
| Removal Information | Use Add or Remove Programs tool in Control Panel.Note When you remove this update, you may be prompted to insert the Microsoft Office XP CD in the CD drive. Additionally, you may not have the option to uninstall the update from the Add or Remove Programs tool in Control Panel. There are several possible causes for this issue. For more information about the removal, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 903771. |
| File Information | See Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 950183 |
| Registry Key Verification | Not applicable |
Office Features
The following table contains 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 |
|---|---|
| Project 2002 | ProductFiles |
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 more information about the parameters supported by Windows Installer.
Deployment Information
Installing the Update
You can install the update from the appropriate download link in the Affected and Non-Affected Software section. If you installed your application from a server location, the server administrator must instead update the server location with the administrative update and deploy that update to your system. For more information about Administrative Installation Points, refer to the Office Administrative Installation Point information in the Detection and deployment Tools and Guidance subsection.
This security update requires that Windows Installer 2.0 or later be installed on the system. All supported versions of Windows include Windows Installer 2.0 or a later version.
To install the latest version of Windows Installer, visit one of the following Microsoft Web sites:
- Windows Installer 3.1 Redistributable
- Windows Installer 2.0 Redistributable for Windows 2000 and Windows NT 4.0
- Windows Installer 2.0 Redistributable for Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98 SE, and Windows Millennium Edition
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 |
|---|---|
| /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 | Overrides the install command that is defined by author. Specifies the path and name of the Setup.inf or .exe file. |
| /r:n | Never restarts the system after installation. |
| /r:I | Prompts the user to restart the system if a restart is required, except when used with /q:a. |
| /r:a | Always restarts the system after installation. |
| /r:s | Restarts the system after installation without prompting the user. |
| /n:v | No version checking - Install the program over any earlier version. |
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.
Removing the Update
To remove this security update, use the Add or Remove Programs tool in Control Panel.
Note When you remove this update, you may be prompted to insert the Microsoft Office XP CD in the CD drive. Additionally, you may not have the option to uninstall the update from the Add or Remove Programs tool in Control Panel. There are several possible causes for this issue. For more information about the removal, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 903771.
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 “Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer” heading under the section, Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance, earlier in this bulletin for more information.
File Version Verification
Because there are several versions and editions of Microsoft Windows, the following steps may be different on your system. 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 Version tab, determine the version of the file that is installed on your system 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.
Project 2003 (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 will be included in a future service pack or update rollup. |
|---|---|
| Deployment | |
| Installing without user intervention | Project2003-KB948962-FullFile-ENU /q:a |
| Installing without restarting | Project2003-KB948962-FullFile-ENU /r:n |
| Update log file | Not applicable |
| Further information | For detection and deployment, see the earlier section, **Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance.**For features you can selectively install, see the Office Features for Administrative Installations subsection in this section. |
| Restart Requirement | |
| Restart required? | This update does not require a restart. |
| Hotpatching | Not applicable |
| Removal Information | Use Add or Remove Programs tool in Control Panel.Note When you remove this update, you may be prompted to insert the Microsoft Office 2003 CD in the CD drive. Additionally, you may not have the option to uninstall the update from the Add or Remove Programs tool in Control Panel. There are several possible causes for this issue. For more information about the removal, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 903771. |
| File Information | See Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 950183 |
| Registry Key Verification | Not applicable |
Office Features
The following table contains 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 |
|---|---|
| PRJPROE, PRJPRO, PRJSTDE, PRJSTD | PROJECTFiles,ProjectCommon |
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 more information about the parameters supported by Windows Installer.
Deployment Information
Installing the Update
You can install the update from the appropriate download link in the Affected and Non-Affected Software section. If you installed your application from a server location, the server administrator must instead update the server location with the administrative update and deploy that update to your system. For more information about Administrative Installation Points, refer to the Office Administrative Installation Point information in the Detection and deployment Tools and Guidance subsection.
This security update requires that Windows Installer 2.0 or later be installed on the system. All supported versions of Windows include Windows Installer 2.0 or a later version.
To install the latest version of Windows Installer, visit one of the following Microsoft Web sites:
- Windows Installer 3.1 Redistributable
- Windows Installer 2.0 Redistributable for Windows 2000 and Windows NT 4.0
- Windows Installer 2.0 Redistributable for Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98 SE, and Windows Millennium Edition
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 |
|---|---|
| /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 | Overrides the install command that is defined by author. Specifies the path and name of the Setup.inf or .exe file. |
| /r:n | Never restarts the system after installation. |
| /r:I | Prompts the user to restart the system if a restart is required, except when used with /q:a. |
| /r:a | Always restarts the system after installation. |
| /r:s | Restarts the system after installation without prompting the user. |
| /n:v | No version checking - Install the program over any earlier version. |
Note You can combine these switches into one command. For backward compatibility, the security update also supports many of 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.
Removing the Update
To remove this security update, use the Add or Remove Programs tool in Control Panel.
Note When you remove this update, you may be prompted to insert the Microsoft Office 2003 CD in the CD drive. Additionally, you may not have the option to uninstall the update from the Add or Remove Programs tool in Control Panel. There are several possible causes for this issue. For more information about the removal, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 903771.
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 “Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer” heading under the section, Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance, earlier in this bulletin for more information.
File Version Verification
Because there are several versions and editions of Microsoft Windows, the following steps may be different on your system. 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 Version tab, determine the version of the file that is installed on your system 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:
- National Cyber Security Center, The Republic of Korea for reporting the Project Memory Validation Vulnerability - CVE-2008-1088.
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 (April 8, 2008): Bulletin published.
- V1.1 (April 9, 2008): Bulletin updated to add Microsoft Project 2003 Service Pack 3 to the Non-Affected Software table, to add a link to Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 950183 in Known Issues, and to add a section for Microsoft Project 2003 Service Pack 3 to the FAQ.
- V1.2 (April 16, 2008): Bulletin updated: Added entry to Update FAQ to describe additional security features included for Microsoft Office 2003 Service Pack 2. Updated Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer and Systems Management Server tables to match the Affected Software table.
- V1.3 (September 10, 2008): Bulletin updated: Added entry to Update FAQ to clarify why this update is Critical for Project 2000 but only Important for all other affected versions of Project.
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