Title: Access Violation in Windows 2000 IRDA Driver Can Cause
System to Restart
Date: 21 August 2001
Software: Windows 2000
Impact: Denial of Service
Bulletin: MS01-046
Microsoft encourages customers to review the Security Bulletin at:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS01-046.asp.
Microsoft Windows 2000 provides support for infrared-based
connectivity. This support is provided through protocols
developed by the Infrared Data Association (IRDA).
Because of this, they are often called IRDA devices. These
devices can be used to share files and printers with other
IRDA-device capable systems. The software which handles
IRDA devices in Windows 2000 contains an unchecked buffer
in the code which handles certain IRDA packets.
A security vulnerability results because it is possible
for a malicious user to send a specially crafted IRDA packet
to the victim's system. This could enable the attacker to conduct
a buffer overflow attack and cause an access violation
on the system, forcing a reboot. To be best of our knowledge,
it cannot be used to run malicious code on the user's system
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.