Microsoft Security Bulletin MS07-001 Vulnerability in Microsoft Office 2003 Brazilian Portuguese Grammar Checker Could Allow Remote Code Execution (921585)

Microsoft Security Bulletin MS07-001
Vulnerability in Microsoft Office 2003 Brazilian Portuguese Grammar Checker Could Allow Remote Code Execution (921585)
Published: January 9, 2007

Version: 1.0
Summary

Who Should Read this Document: Customers who use Microsoft Office 2003 Brazilian Portuguese Grammar Checker

Impact of Vulnerability: Remote Code Execution

Maximum Severity Rating: Important

Recommendation: Customers should apply the update at the earliest opportunity

Security Update Replacement: None

Caveats: None

Tested Software and Security Update Download Locations:

Affected Software:
•

Microsoft Office 2003 Service Pack 2 (Brazilian Portuguese Version)- Download the update (KB921585)
•

Microsoft Word 2003
•

Microsoft Excel 2003
•

Microsoft Outlook 2003
•

Microsoft Access 2003
•

Microsoft OneNote 2003
•

Microsoft PowerPoint 2003
•

Microsoft Publisher 2003
•

Microsoft Access 2003
•

Microsoft InfoPath 2003
•

Microsoft FrontPage 2003
•

Microsoft Visio 2003
•

Microsoft Visio Enterprise Architects 2003
•

Microsoft Office Multilingual User Interface 2003 Service Pack 2 - Download the update (KB921585)
•

Microsoft Project Multilingual User Interface 2003 Service Pack 2 - Download the update (KB921585)
•

Microsoft Visio Multilingual User Interface 2003 Service Pack 2 - Download the update (KB921585)
•

Microsoft Office Proofing Tools 2003 Service Pack 2 - Download the update (KB921585)

Non-Affected Software:
•

Microsoft Office 2000
•

Microsoft Office XP
•

Microsoft Office 2007
•

Microsoft Office v.X for Mac
•

Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac

The software in this list has been tested to determine whether the versions are affected. Other versions either no longer include security update support or may not be affected. To determine the support life cycle for your product and version, visit the Microsoft Support Lifecycle Web site.

Note The security updates for Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1, and Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition also apply to Windows Server 2003 R2.
Top of sectionTop of section
General Information

Executive Summary

Executive Summary:

This update resolves a newly discovered, publicly reported vulnerability. The vulnerability is documented in its own subsection in the "Vulnerability Details" section of this bulletin.

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.

We recommend that customers should apply the update at the earliest opportunity.
Vulnerability Identifiers Impact of Vulnerability Microsoft Office 2003 (Brazilian Portuguese Version) and Microsoft Office Proofing Tools 2003 Microsoft Office Multilingual User Interface 2003 Microsoft Project Multilingual User Interface 2003 and Microsoft Visio Multilingual User Interface 2003

Office 2003 Brazilian Portuguese Grammar Checker Vulnerability - CVE-2006-5574

Remote Code Execution

Important

Important

Important

This assessment is based on the types of systems that are affected by the vulnerability, their typical deployment patterns, and the effect that exploiting the vulnerability would have on them.
Top of sectionTop of section

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Related to This Security Update

Do all Office 2003 users need to install the Microsoft Office 2003 Brazilian Portuguese Grammar Checker security update?
No, you will only need to install this update if you have a Brazilian Portuguese or Spanish language version of one of the products listed in the “Affected Products” section.

Can I use the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) to determine whether this update is required?
The following table provides the MBSA detection summary for this security update.
Software MBSA 1.2.1 MBSA 2.0

Microsoft Office 2003

Yes

Yes

Microsoft Office Multilingual User Interface 2003

Yes

Yes

Microsoft Project Multilingual User Interface 2003

Yes

Yes

Microsoft Visio Multilingual User Interface 2003

Yes

Yes

Microsoft Office Proofing Tools 2003

Yes

Yes

Note MBSA 1.2.1 uses an integrated version of the Office Detection Tool (ODT) which does not support remote scans of this security update. For more information about MBSA, visit the MBSA Web site.

For more information about MBSA, visit the MBSA Web site. For more information about the programs that Microsoft Update and MBSA 2.0 currently do not detect, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 895660.

For more detailed information, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 910723.

Can I use Systems Management Server (SMS) to determine whether this update is required?
The following table provides the SMS detection summary for this security update.
Product SMS 2.0 SMS 2003

Microsoft Office 2003

Yes

Yes

Microsoft Office Multilingual User Interface 2003

Yes

Yes

Microsoft Project Multilingual User Interface 2003

Yes

Yes

Microsoft Visio Multilingual User Interface 2003

Yes

Yes

Microsoft Office Proofing Tools 2003

Yes

Yes

SMS 2.0 and SMS 2003 Software Update Services (SUS) Feature Pack can use MBSA 1.2.1 for detection and therefore have the same limitation that is listed earlier in this bulletin related to programs that MBSA 1.2.1 does not detect.

For SMS 2.0, the SMS SUS Feature Pack, which includes the Security Update Inventory Tool (SUIT), can be used by SMS to detect security updates. SMS SUIT uses the MBSA 1.2.1 engine for detection. For more information about SUIT, visit the following Microsoft Web site. For more information about the limitations of SUIT, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 306460. The SMS SUS Feature Pack also includes the Microsoft Office Inventory Tool to detect required updates for Microsoft Office applications.

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, visit the following Microsoft Web site. SMS 2003 can also use the Microsoft Office Inventory Tool to detect required updates for Microsoft Office applications.

For more information about SMS, visit the SMS Web site.

For more detailed information, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 910723.
Top of sectionTop of section

Vulnerability Details

Office 2003 Brazilian Portuguese Grammar Checker Vulnerability - CVE-2006-5574:

A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Office 2003 Brazilian Portuguese Grammar Checker. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability when Office opens a file and parses the text.

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.

Mitigating Factors for Office 2003 Brazilian Portuguese Grammar Checker Vulnerability - CVE-2006-5574:
•

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.
•

In a Web-based attack scenario, an attacker would have to host a Web site that contains Office files 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 malicious Web site. Instead, an attacker would have to persuade them to visit the Web site, typically by getting them to click a link that takes them to the attacker's site.
•

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 or reply to an e-mail if Word is being used as the e-mail editor.
Top of sectionTop of section

Workarounds for Office 2003 Brazilian Portuguese Grammar Checker Vulnerability - CVE-2006-5574:
•

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.
Top of sectionTop of section

FAQ for Office 2003 Brazilian Portuguese Grammar Checker Vulnerability - CVE-2006-5574:

What is the scope of the vulnerability?
A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Office 2003 Brazilian Portuguese Grammar Checker. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability when Office opens a file and parses the text.

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.

What causes the vulnerability?
The Office 2003 Brazilian Portuguese Grammar Checker does not perform sufficient data validation when Office opens a file and parses the text. It may corrupt system memory in such a way that an attacker could execute arbitrary code.

What might an attacker use the vulnerability to do?
An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of the affected system.

How could an attacker exploit the vulnerability?
In an e-mail attack scenario, an attacker could exploit the vulnerability by sending a specially-crafted file to the user and by persuading the user to open the file or reply to an e-mail if Word is being used as the e-mail editor.

In a Web-based attack scenario, an attacker would have to host a Web site that contains Office files 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 malicious Web site. Instead, an attacker would have to persuade them 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?
Workstations and terminal servers 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 the Office 2003 Brazilian Portuguese Grammar Checker parses the text before passing it to the allocated buffer.

When this security bulletin was issued, had this vulnerability been publicly disclosed?
Yes. This vulnerability has been publicly disclosed. It has been assigned Common Vulnerability and Exposure number CVE-2006-5574.

When this security bulletin was issued, had Microsoft received any reports that this vulnerability was being exploited?
No. Microsoft had seen examples of proof of concept code published publicly but had not received any information to indicate that this vulnerability had been publicly used to attack customers when this security bulletin was originally issued.

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 9, 2007): Bulletin published.