MS03-013 - Buffer Overrun in Windows Kernel

[C:Amie]

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Title: Buffer Overrun in Windows Kernel Message Handling could

Lead to Elevated Privileges (811493)

Date: 16 April 2003

Software: Microsoft Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, and Windows XP

Impact: Local Elevation of Privilege

Max Risk: Important

Bulletin: MS03-013

Microsoft encourages customers to review the Security Bulletins at:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/...in/MS03-013.asp

http://www.microsoft.com/security/security...ns/ms03-013.asp

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Issue:

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The Windows kernel is the core of the operating system. It provides

system level services such as device and memory management,

allocates processor time to processes and manages error handling.

There is a flaw in the way the kernel passes error messages to a

debugger. A vulnerability results because an attacker could write a

program to exploit this flaw and run code of their choice. An

attacker could exploit this vulnerability to take any action on the

system including deleting data, adding accounts with administrative

access, or reconfiguring the system.

For an attack to be successful, an attacker would need to be able

to logon interactively to the system, either at the console or

through a terminal session. Also, a successful attack would require

the introduction of code in order to exploit this vulnerability.

Because best practices recommends restricting the ability to logon

interactively on servers, this issue most directly affects client

systems and terminal servers.

Mitigating Factors:

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- - A successful attack requires the ability to logon

interactively to the target machine, either directly at the console

or through a terminal session.

- - Properly secured servers would be at little risk from this

vulnerability. Standard best practices recommend only allowing

trusted administrators to log onto such systems interactively;

without such privileges, an attacker could not exploit the

vulnerability.

Risk Rating:

============

Important

Patch Availability:

===================

- A patch is available to fix this vulnerability. Please read the

Security Bulletins at

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/...in/ms03-013.asp

http://www.microsoft.com/security/security...ns/ms03-013.asp

for information on obtaining this patch.