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Microsoft Windows Buffer Overflow in Messenger Service
Secunia Advisory: SA10012
Release Date: 2003-10-15
Last Update: 2003-11-17
Popularity: 21,352 views

Critical:
Highly critical
Impact: DoS
System access
Where: From local network
Solution Status: Vendor Patch

OS:Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Server
Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Server, Terminal Server Edition
Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Workstation
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Web Edition
Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
Microsoft Windows XP Professional

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CVE reference:CVE-2003-0717


Description:
Microsoft has issued patches for Microsoft Windows to fix a buffer overflow vulnerability in Messenger Service, which could lead to execution of arbitrary code.

The problem is that the Messenger Service doesn't verify the length of messages. This allows malicious people to send messages, which causes a buffer overflow that may allow execution of arbitrary code.

The vulnerability only affects systems where the Messenger Service is enabled.

The Messenger Service is disabled by default on Microsoft Windows 2003.

Solution:
NetBIOS and RPC traffic should be filtered at the network perimeter.

Microsoft has issued patches:

Patches are available from WindowsUpdate or from:

Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0, Service Pack 6a
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/de...-9E46-A17D808ED38D&displaylang=en

Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0, Service Pack 6a
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/de...-9A28-79FD79F26A1B&displaylang=en

Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition, Service Pack 6
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/de...-93A8-26CDB98B05A8&displaylang=en

Microsoft Windows 2000
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/de...-A021-4B494CCCBDE0&displaylang=en

Microsoft Windows XP Gold, Service Pack 1
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/de...-A0B9-5B67414C3833&displaylang=en

Microsoft Windows XP 64-bit Edition
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/de...-80A5-55FDF5AA2296&displaylang=en

Microsoft Windows XP 64-bit Edition Version 2003
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/de...-899C-5A44EC13174E&displaylang=en

Microsoft Windows Server 2003
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/de...-9143-C1E3C9E2F5F8&displaylang=en

Microsoft Windows Server 2003 64-bit Edition
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/de...-899C-5A44EC13174E&displaylang=en

Provided and/or discovered by:
The Last Stage of Delirium Research Group

Changelog:
2003-10-16: Added link to CERT vulnerability note.
2003-10-30: Microsoft has issued new patches for Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003 which fixes bugs in the original patch.
2003-11-17: Microsoft has issued new patches for Windows XP because a copy of the "wkssvc.dll" file isn't placed in "%systemroot%\system32\dllcache".

Original Advisory:
Buffer Overrun in Messenger Service Could Allow Code Execution
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS03-043.asp

Other References:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=828035

CERT VU#575892:
http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/575892


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