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HistoryJul 21, 2000 - 12:00 a.m.

Security Bulletin (MS00-046)

2000-07-2100:00:00
vulners.com
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Microsoft Security Bulletin (MS00-046)


Patch Available for "Cache Bypass" Vulnerability

Originally Posted: July 20, 2000

Summary

Microsoft has released a patch that eliminates a security
vulnerability in Microsoft(r) Outlook(r) and Outlook Express. The
vulnerability could allow a malicious user to send an HTML mail that,
when opened, could read, but not add, change or delete, files on the
recipient's computer. If coupled with other vulnerabilities, it could
potentially be used in more advanced attacks as well.

The patch eliminates this vulnerability as well as those discussed in
Microsoft Security Bulletins MS00-043 and MS00-045. Customers who
already have taken the corrective action discussed in either of these
bulletins do not need to take any additional action.

Frequently asked questions regarding this vulnerability and
the patch can be found at
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/fq00-046.asp

Issue

By design, an HTML mail that creates a file on the recipient's
computer should only be able to create it in the so-called cache.
Files in the cache, when opened, do so in the Internet Zone. However,
this vulnerability would allow an HTML mail to bypass the cache
mechanism and create a file in a known location on the recipient's
disk. If an HTML mail created an HTML file outside the cache, it
would run in the Local Computer Zone when opened. This could allow it
to open a file on the user's computer and send it a malicious user's
web site. The vulnerability also could be used as a way of placing an
executable file on the user's machine, which the malicious user would
then seek to launch via some other means.

The vulnerability would not enable the malicious user to add, change
or delete files on the user's computer. Only files that can be opened
in a browser window, such as .txt, .jpg or .htm files, could be read
via this vulnerability, and the malicious user would need to know or
guess the full path and file name of every file he wished to read.

The vulnerability resides in a component that is shared by Outlook
and Outlook Express, and as a result the vulnerability affects both
products. A version of the component that is not affected by the
vulnerability ships as part of Outlook Express 5.5, and customers who
have installed it do not need to take any additional action. Outlook
Express 5.5 is available as part of Internet Explorer 5.01 Service
Pack 1, and, except when installed on Windows 2000, Internet Explorer
5.5.

Affected Software Versions

  • Microsoft Outlook Express 4.0
  • Microsoft Outlook Express 4.01
  • Microsoft Outlook Express 5.0
  • Microsoft Outlook Express 5.01
  • Microsoft Outlook 97
  • Microsoft Outlook 98
  • Microsoft Outlook 2000

Patch Availability

This vulnerability can be eliminated by taking any of the following
actions:

Note: The patch requires IE 4.01 SP2
(http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/download/ie401sp2.htm) or
IE 5.01 (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/download/ie501.htm)
to install. Customers who install this patch on versions other
than these may receive a message reading "This update does not
need to be installed on this system". This message is incorrect.
More information is available in KB article Q247638.

Note: In addition to eliminating the vulnerability at issue
here, the steps above also eliminate all vulnerabilities
discussed in Microsoft Security Bulletins MS00-043
(http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS00-043.asp)
and MS00-045
(http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS00-045.asp).
Customers who already have taken the corrective action discussed
in either of these bulletins do not need to take any additional
action.

Note: Additional security patches are available at the Microsoft
Download Center (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads).

More Information

Please see the following references for more information related to
this issue.

Obtaining Support on this Issue

This is a fully supported patch. Information on contacting
Microsoft Technical Support is available at
http://support.microsoft.com/support/contact/default.asp.

Revisions

  • July 20, 2000: Bulletin Created.

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Last Updated July 20,2000

(c) 2000 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of use.