The following is a Security Bulletin from the Microsoft Product Security Notification Service. Please do not reply to this message, as it was sent from an unattended mailbox. ******************************** -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: Patch Available for "Network DDE Agent Request" Vulnerability Released: 05 February 2001 Revised: 09 February 2001 (Version 2.0) Software: Windows 2000 Impact: Privilege elevation Bulletin: MS01-007 Microsoft encourages customers to review the Security Bulletin at: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS01-007.asp. - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Reason for Revision: ===================== The original version of this bulletin stated that terminal servers are not affected by the vulnerability. We have subsequently found that they actually are affected, and have updated both the bulletin and the narrative below to reflect this. The patch provided in the bulletin can be applied to terminal servers. Issue: ====== Network Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) is a technology that enables applications on different Windows computers to dynamically share data. This sharing is effected via communications channels called trusted shares, which are managed by a service called the Network DDE Agent. By design, processes on the local machine can levy requests upon the Network DDE Agent, including ones that indicate what application should be run in conjunction with a particular trusted share. However, a vulnerability exists because, in Windows 2000, the Network DDE Agent runs using the Local System security context and processes all requests using this context, rather than that of the user. This would give an attacker an opportunity to cause the Network DDE Agent to run code of her choice in Local System context, as a means of gaining complete control over the local machine. Microsoft recommends that customers using Windows 2000 workstations or who allow unprivileged users to run code on Windows 2000 servers apply the patch immediately. In addition, customers operating Windows 2000 web servers should consider applying the patch to those machines as well, as a precautionary measure. If an attacker were able to gain the ability to run code in a restricted context on a web server via another vulnerability, this vulnerability would provide a way to immediately elevate her privileges and cause broader damage. Mitigating Factors: ==================== - Servers could only be affected if the attacker were given the ability to load a program of her choice onto the machine and execute it locally. Best practices recommend against this. - The machines primarily at risk, workstations and terminal servers, typically would not provide a way for the attacker to use control over the local machine to gain domain-wide privileges Patch Availability: =================== - A patch is available to fix this vulnerability. Please read the Security Bulletin http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms01-007.asp for information on obtaining this patch. Acknowledgment: =============== - Dildog of @Stake (http://www.atstake.com) - --------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. 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