Microsoft Security Bulletin MS15-005 - Important
Vulnerability in Network Location Awareness Service Could Allow Security Feature Bypass (3022777)
Published: January 13, 2015
Version: 1.0
Executive Summary
This security update resolves a privately reported vulnerability in Microsoft Windows. The vulnerability could allow security feature bypass by unintentionally relaxing the firewall policy and/or configuration of certain services when an attacker on the same network as the victim spoofs responses to DNS and LDAP traffic initiated by the victim.
This security update is rated Important for all supported editions of Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 8, Windows Server 2012, Windows 8.1, and Windows Server 2012 R2. For more information, see the Affected Software section.
The security update addresses the vulnerability by forcing mutual authentication via Kerberos. For more information about the vulnerability, see the Vulnerability Information section.
For more information about this update, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 3022777.
Affected Software
The following software versions or editions are affected. Versions or editions that are not listed are either past their support life cycle or are not affected. To determine the support life cycle for your software version or edition, see Microsoft Support Lifecycle.
| Operating System | Maximum Security Impact | Aggregate Severity Rating | Updates Replaced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows Server 2003 | |||
| Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2[1] | Security Feature Bypass | Important | None |
| Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2[1] | Security Feature Bypass | Important | None |
| Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems[1] | Security Feature Bypass | Important | None |
| Windows Vista | |||
| Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (3022777) | Security Feature Bypass | Important | None |
| Windows Vista x64 Edition Service Pack 2 (3022777) | Security Feature Bypass | Important | None |
| Windows Server 2008 | |||
| Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2 (3022777) | Security Feature Bypass | Important | None |
| Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2 (3022777) | Security Feature Bypass | Important | None |
| Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems Service Pack 2 (3022777) | Security Feature Bypass | Important | None |
| Windows 7 | |||
| Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 1 (3022777) | Security Feature Bypass | Important | None |
| Windows 7 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 (3022777) | Security Feature Bypass | Important | None |
| Windows Server 2008 R2 | |||
| Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 (3022777) | Security Feature Bypass | Important | None |
| Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems Service Pack 1 (3022777) | Security Feature Bypass | Important | None |
| Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 | |||
| Windows 8 for 32-bit Systems (3022777) | Security Feature Bypass | Important | None |
| Windows 8 for x64-based Systems (3022777) | Security Feature Bypass | Important | None |
| Windows 8.1 for 32-bit Systems (3022777) | Security Feature Bypass | Important | None |
| Windows 8.1 for x64-based Systems (3022777) | Security Feature Bypass | Important | None |
| Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012 R2 | |||
| Windows Server 2012 (3022777) | Security Feature Bypass | Important | None |
| Windows Server 2012 R2 (3022777) | Security Feature Bypass | Important | None |
| Server Core installation option | |||
| Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation) (3022777) | Security Feature Bypass | Important | None |
| Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation) (3022777) | Security Feature Bypass | Important | None |
| Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 (Server Core installation) (3022777) | Security Feature Bypass | Important | None |
| Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation) (3022777) | Security Feature Bypass | Important | None |
| Windows Server 2012 R2 (Server Core installation) (3022777) | Security Feature Bypass | Important | None |
[1]Windows Server 2003 is affected, but an update is not being issued for it. See the Update FAQ for more information.
Severity Ratings and Vulnerability Identifiers
The following severity ratings assume the potential maximum impact of the vulnerability. For information regarding the likelihood, within 30 days of this security bulletin's release, of the exploitability of the vulnerability in relation to its severity rating and security impact, please see the Exploitability Index in the January bulletin summary.
| Vulnerability Severity Rating and Maximum Security Impact by Affected Software | ||
|---|---|---|
| Affected Software | NLA Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability - CVE-2015-0006 | Aggregate Severity Rating |
| Windows Server 2003 | ||
| Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 | Important\ Security Feature Bypass | Important |
| Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2 | Important\ Security Feature Bypass | Important |
| Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems | Important \ Security Feature Bypass | Important |
| Windows Vista | ||
| Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (3022777) | Important\ Security Feature Bypass | Important |
| Windows Vista x64 Edition Service Pack 2 (3022777) | Important\ Security Feature Bypass | Important |
| Windows Server 2008 | ||
| Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2 (3022777) | Important\ Security Feature Bypass | Important |
| Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2 (3022777) | Important\ Security Feature Bypass | Important |
| Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems Service Pack 2 (3022777) | Important \ Security Feature Bypass | Important |
| Windows 7 | ||
| Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 1 (3022777) | Important\ Security Feature Bypass | Important |
| Windows 7 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 (3022777) | Important\ Security Feature Bypass | Important |
| Windows Server 2008 R2 | ||
| Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 (3022777) | Important\ Security Feature Bypass | Important |
| Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems Service Pack 1 (3022777) | Important \ Security Feature Bypass | Important |
| Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 | ||
| Windows 8 for 32-bit Systems (3022777) | Important \ Security Feature Bypass | Important |
| Windows 8 for x64-based Systems (3022777) | Important \ Security Feature Bypass | Important |
| Windows 8.1 for 32-bit Systems (3022777) | Important\ Security Feature Bypass | Important |
| Windows 8.1 for x64-based Systems (3022777) | Important\ Security Feature Bypass | Important |
| Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012 R2 | ||
| Windows Server 2012 (3022777) | Important \ Security Feature Bypass | Important |
| Windows Server 2012 R2 (3022777) | Important \ Security Feature Bypass | Important |
| Server Core installation option | ||
| Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation) (3022777) | Important \ Security Feature Bypass | Important |
| Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation) (3022777) | Important\ Security Feature Bypass | Important |
| Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 (Server Core installation) (3022777) | Important\ Security Feature Bypass | Important |
| Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation) (3022777) | Important\ Security Feature Bypass | Important |
| Windows Server 2012 R2 (Server Core installation) (3022777) | Important \ Security Feature Bypass | Important |
Update FAQ
Windows Server 2003 is listed as an affected product; why is Microsoft not issuing an update for it?
The architecture to properly support the fix provided in the update does not exist on Windows Server 2003 systems, making it infeasible to build the fix for Windows Server 2003. To do so would require re-architecting a very significant amount of the Windows Server 2003 operating system, not just the affected component. The product of such a re-architecture effort would be sufficiently incompatible with Windows Server 2003 that there would be no assurance that applications designed to run on Windows Server 2003 would continue to operate on the updated system.
This vulnerability requires that a user connect their computer to an untrusted network such as a Wi-Fi hotspot in a coffee shop; therefore, workstations that are connected to an untrusted network are most at risk from this vulnerability.
Vulnerability Information
NLA Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability - CVE-2015-0006
A security feature bypass vulnerability exists in the Network Location Awareness (NLA) service that could unintentionally relax the firewall policy and/or configuration of certain services. This could increase the surface exposed to an attacker. The vulnerability is caused when the NLA service fails to properly validate whether a domain-connected computer is connected to the domain or to an untrusted network. The update addresses the vulnerability by forcing mutual authentication via Kerberos.
Successful exploitation of this vulnerability requires that an attacker be connected to the same network as the victim’s computer, and that the attacker spoof responses to DNS and LDAP traffic initiated by the victim. The vulnerability could allow an attacker to apply a domain profile to a computer connected to an untrusted network. Client computers connected to untrusted networks are primarily at risk from this vulnerability.
Microsoft received information about this vulnerability through coordinated vulnerability disclosure. When this security bulletin was issued, Microsoft had not received any information to indicate that this vulnerability had been publicly used to attack customers.
Mitigating Factors
Microsoft has not identified any mitigating factors for this vulnerability.
Workarounds
Microsoft has not identified any workarounds for this vulnerability.
Security Update Deployment
For Security Update Deployment information, see the Microsoft Knowledge Base article referenced here in the Executive Summary.
Acknowledgments
Microsoft recognizes the efforts of those in the security community who help us protect customers through coordinated vulnerability disclosure. See Acknowledgments for more information.
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 (January 13, 2015): Bulletin published.
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