Lucene search

K
securityvulnsSecurityvulnsSECURITYVULNS:DOC:3109
HistoryJun 20, 2002 - 12:00 a.m.

Security Bulletin MS02-031: Cumulative Patches for Excel and Word for Windows (Q324458)

2002-06-2000:00:00
vulners.com
27

Title: Cumulative Patches for Excel and Word for Windows
(Q324458)
Date: 19 June 2002
Software: Microsoft Office for Windows
Impact: Run Code of Attacker's Choice
Max Risk: Moderate
Bulletin: MS02-031

Microsoft encourages customers to review the Security Bulletin at:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS02-031.asp.


Issue:

This is a set of cumulative patches that, when applied, applies all
previously released fixes for these products.

In addition, these patches eliminate four newly discovered
vulnerabilities all of which could enable an attacker to run Macro
code on a user's machine. The attacker's macro code could take
any actions on the system that the user was able to.

  • An Excel macro execution vulnerability that relates to how inline
    macros that are associated with objects are handled. This
    vulnerability could enable macros to execute and bypass the
    Macro Security Model when the user clicked on an object in
    a workbook.

  • An Excel macro execution vulnerability that relates to how macros
    are handled in workbooks when those workbooks are opened via a
    hyperlink on a drawing shape. It is possible for macros in a
    workbook so invoked to run automatically.

  • An HTML script execution vulnerability that can occur when
    an Excel workbook with an XSL Stylesheet that contains HTML
    scripting is opened. The script within the XSL stylesheet
    could be run in the local computer zone.

  • A new variant of the "Word Mail Merge" vulnerability first
    addressed in MS00-071. This new variant could enable an
    attacker's macro code to run automatically if the user had
    Microsoft Access present on the system and chose to open a
    mail merge document that had been saved in HTML format.

Mitigating Factors:

Excel Inline Macros Vulnerability:

  • A successful attack exploiting this vulnerability would require
    that the user accept and open a workbook from an attacker and
    then click on an object within the workbook.

Hyperlinked Excel Workbook Macro Bypass:

  • A successful attempt to exploit this vulnerability would require
    that the user accept and open an attacker's workbook and click on
    a drawing shape with a hyperlink.

  • An attacker's destination workbook would have to be accessible to
    the user, either on the local system on an accessible network
    location.

Excel XSL Stylesheet Script Execution:

  • A user would have to accept and open an attacker's workbook to
    exploit this vulnerability.

  • In addition, the user would have to acknowledge a security
    warning by selecting the non-default option.

Variant of MS00-071, Word Mail Merge Vulnerability:

  • The Word mail merge document would have to be saved in HTML
    format. As Word is not the default handler for HTML
    applications, the user would have to choose to open the document
    in Word, or acknowledge a security warning.

  • A successful attack requires that Access be installed locally.

  • The attacker's data source has to be accessible to the user
    across a network.

Risk Rating:

  • Internet systems: Low
  • Intranet systems: Low
  • Client systems: Moderate

Patch Availability:

Acknowledgment:

  • Darryl Higa for reporting the Excel Inline Macros and
    Hyperlinked Excel Workbook Macro Bypass vulnerabilities.

  • The dH team and SECURITY.NNOV team (http://www.security.nnov.ru/)
    for reporting the variant of MS00-071.


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.