Security Bulletin
Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-064 - Important
Vulnerability in Virtual Address Descriptor Manipulation Could Allow Elevation of Privilege (956841)
Published: October 14, 2008 | Updated: October 15, 2008
Version: 1.1
General Information
Executive Summary
This security update resolves a privately reported vulnerability in Virtual Address Descriptor. The vulnerability could allow elevation of privilege if a user runs a specially crafted application. An authenticated attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could gain elevation of privilege on an affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full administrative rights.
This security update is rated Important for all supported editions of Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, and Windows Server 2008. For more information, see the subsection, Affected and Non-Affected Software, in this section.
The security update addresses the vulnerability by modifying the way that Virtual Address Descriptor handles memory allocation variables. For more information about the vulnerability, see the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) subsection for the specific vulnerability entry under the next section, Vulnerability Information.
Recommendation. Microsoft recommends that customers apply the update at the earliest opportunity.
Known Issues. None
Affected and Non-Affected Software
The following software have been tested to determine which versions or editions are affected. Other versions or editions are either past their support life cycle or are not affected. To determine the support life cycle for your software version or edition, visit Microsoft Support Lifecycle.
Affected Software
*Windows Server 2008 server core installation affected. For supported editions of Windows Server 2008, this update applies, with the same severity rating, whether or not Windows Server 2008 was installed using the Server Core installation option. For more information on this installation option, see Server Core. Note that the Server Core installation option does not apply to certain editions of Windows Server 2008; see Compare Server Core Installation Options.
Non-Affected Software
Operating System |
---|
Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Related to This Security Update
Where are the file information details?
The file information details can be found in Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 956841.
I am using an older release of the software discussed in this security bulletin. What should I do?
The affected software listed in this bulletin have been tested to determine which releases are affected. Other releases are past their support life cycle. To determine the support life cycle for your software release, visit Microsoft Support Lifecycle.
It should be a priority for customers who have older releases of the software to migrate to supported releases to prevent potential exposure to vulnerabilities. For more information about the Windows Product Lifecycle, visit Microsoft Support Lifecycle. For more information about the extended security update support period for these software versions or editions, visit Microsoft Product Support Services.
Customers who require custom support for older releases must contact their Microsoft account team representative, their Technical Account Manager, or the appropriate Microsoft partner representative for custom support options. Customers without an Alliance, Premier, or Authorized Contract can contact their local Microsoft sales office. For contact information, visit Microsoft Worldwide Information, select the country, and then click Go to see a list of telephone numbers. When you call, ask to speak with the local Premier Support sales manager. For more information, see the Windows Operating System Product Support Lifecycle FAQ.
Vulnerability Information
Severity Ratings and Vulnerability Identifiers
Affected Software | Virtual Address Descriptor Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability - CVE-2008-4036 | Aggregate Severity Rating |
---|---|---|
Windows XP Service Pack 2 and Windows XP Service Pack 3 | Important Elevation of Privilege |
Important |
Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2 | Important Elevation of Privilege |
Important |
Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 | Important Elevation of Privilege |
Important |
Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2 | Important Elevation of Privilege |
Important |
Windows Server 2003 with SP1 for Itanium-based Systems and Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems | Important Elevation of Privilege |
Important |
Windows Vista and Windows Vista Service Pack 1 | Important Elevation of Privilege |
Important |
Windows Vista x64 Edition and Windows Vista x64 Edition Service Pack 1 | Important Elevation of Privilege |
Important |
Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems\* | Important Elevation of Privilege |
Important |
Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems\* | Important Elevation of Privilege |
Important |
Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems | Important Elevation of Privilege |
Important |
Inclusion in Future Service Packs | The update for this issue will be included in a future service pack or update rollup |
Deployment | |
Installing without user intervention | Windows XP Service Pack 2 and Windows XP Service Pack 3: Windowsxp-kb956841-x86-enu /quiet |
Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2: WindowsServer2003.WindowsXP-kb956841-x64-enu /quiet |
|
Installing without restarting | Windows XP Service Pack 2 and Windows XP Service Pack 3: Windowsxp-kb956841-x86-enu /norestart |
Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2: WindowsServer2003.WindowsXP-kb956841-x64-enu /norestart |
|
Update log file | KB956841.log |
Further information | See the subsection, Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance |
Restart Requirement | |
Restart required? | Yes, you must restart your system after you apply this security update |
HotPatching | Not applicable |
Removal Information | Use Add or Remove Programs tool in Control Panel or the Spuninst.exe utility located in the %Windir%\$NTUninstallKB956841$\Spuninst folder |
File Information | See Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 956841 |
Registry Key Verification | Windows XP Service Pack 2 and Windows XP Service Pack 3: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Updates\Windows XP\SP4\KB956841\Filelist |
Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Updates\Windows XP Version 2003\SP3\KB956841\Filelist |
Note For supported versions of Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, this security update is the same as supported versions of the Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition security update.
Deployment Information
Installing the Update
When you install this security update, the installer checks whether one or more of the files that are being updated on your system have previously been updated by a Microsoft hotfix.
If you have previously installed a hotfix to update one of these files, the installer copies the RTMQFE, SP1QFE, or SP2QFE files to your system. Otherwise, the installer copies the RTMGDR, SP1GDR, or SP2GDR files to your system. Security updates may not contain all variations of these files. For more information about this behavior, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 824994.
For more information about the installer, visit the Microsoft TechNet Web site.
For more information about the terminology that appears in this bulletin, such as hotfix, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 824684.
This security update supports the following setup switches.
Switch | Description |
---|---|
**/help** | Displays the command-line options. |
Setup Modes | |
**/passive** | Unattended Setup mode. No user interaction is required, but installation status is displayed. If a restart is required at the end of Setup, a dialog box will be presented to the user with a timer warning that the computer will restart in 30 seconds. |
**/quiet** | Quiet mode. This is the same as unattended mode, but no status or error messages are displayed. |
Restart Options | |
**/norestart** | Does not restart when installation has completed. |
**/forcerestart** | Restarts the computer after installation and force other applications to close at shutdown without saving open files first. |
**/warnrestart\[:x\]** | Presents a dialog box with a timer warning the user that the computer will restart in *x* seconds. (The default setting is 30 seconds.) Intended for use with the **/quiet** switch or the **/passive** switch. |
**/promptrestart** | Displays a dialog box prompting the local user to allow a restart. |
Special Options | |
**/overwriteoem** | Overwrites OEM files without prompting. |
**/nobackup** | Does not back up files needed for uninstall. |
**/forceappsclose** | Forces other programs to close when the computer shuts down. |
**/log:path** | Allows the redirection of installation log files. |
**/integrate:path** | Integrates the update into the Windows source files. These files are located at the path that is specified in the switch. |
**/extract\[:path\]** | Extracts files without starting the Setup program. |
**/ER** | Enables extended error reporting. |
**/verbose** | Enables verbose logging. During installation, creates %Windir%\\CabBuild.log. This log details the files that are copied. Using this switch may cause the installation to proceed more slowly. |
Removing the Update
This security update supports the following setup switches.
Switch | Description |
---|---|
**/help** | Displays the command-line options. |
Setup Modes | |
**/passive** | Unattended Setup mode. No user interaction is required, but installation status is displayed. If a restart is required at the end of Setup, a dialog box will be presented to the user with a timer warning that the computer will restart in 30 seconds. |
**/quiet** | Quiet mode. This is the same as unattended mode, but no status or error messages are displayed. |
Restart Options | |
**/norestart** | Does not restart when installation has completed |
**/forcerestart** | Restarts the computer after installation and force other applications to close at shutdown without saving open files first. |
**/warnrestart\[:x\]** | Presents a dialog box with a timer warning the user that the computer will restart in *x* seconds. (The default setting is 30 seconds.) Intended for use with the **/quiet** switch or the **/passive** switch. |
**/promptrestart** | Displays a dialog box prompting the local user to allow a restart. |
Special Options | |
**/forceappsclose** | Forces other programs to close when the computer shuts down. |
**/log:path** | Allows the redirection of installation log files. |
Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer
To verify that a security update has been applied to an affected system, you may be able to use the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) tool. See the section, Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance, earlier in this bulletin for more information.
File Version Verification
Because there are several editions of Microsoft Windows, the following steps may be different on your system. If they are, see your product documentation to complete these steps.
- Click Start, and then click Search.
- In the Search Results pane, click All files and folders under Search Companion.
- In the All or part of the file name box, type a file name from the appropriate file information table, and then click Search.
- In the list of files, right-click a file name from the appropriate file information table, and then click Properties. Note Depending on the edition of the operating system, or the programs that are installed on your system, some of the files that are listed in the file information table may not be installed.
- On the Version tab, determine the version of the file that is installed on your system by comparing it to the version that is documented in the appropriate file information table. Note Attributes other than the file version may change during installation. Comparing other file attributes to the information in the file information table is not a supported method of verifying that the update has been applied. Also, in certain cases, files may be renamed during installation. If the file or version information is not present, use one of the other available methods to verify update installation.
Registry Key Verification
You may also be able to verify the files that this security update has installed by reviewing the registry keys listed in the Reference Table in this section.
These registry keys may not contain a complete list of installed files. Also, these registry keys may not be created correctly when an administrator or an OEM integrates or slipstreams this security update into the Windows installation source files.
Windows Server 2003 (all editions)
Reference Table
The following table contains the security update information for this software. You can find additional information in the subsection, Deployment Information, in this section.
Inclusion in Future Service Packs | The update for this issue will be included in a future service pack or update rollup |
Deployment | |
Installing without user intervention | For all supported 32-bit editions of Windows Server 2003: Windowsserver2003-kb956841-x86-enu /quiet |
For all supported x64-based editions of Windows Server 2003: Windowsserver2003.WindowsXP-KB956841-x64-enu /quiet |
|
For all supported Itanium-based editions of Windows Server 2003: Windowsserver2003-KB956841-ia64-enu /quiet |
|
Installing without restarting | For all supported 32-bit editions of Windows Server 2003: Windowsserver2003-kb956841-x86-enu /norestart |
For all supported x64-based editions of Windows Server 2003: Windowsserver2003.WindowsXP-KB956841-x64-enu /norestart |
|
For all supported Itanium-based editions of Windows Server 2003: Windowsserver2003-KB956841-ia64-enu /norestart |
|
Update log file | KB956841.log |
Further information | See the subsection, Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance |
Restart Requirement | |
Restart required? | Yes, you must restart your system after you apply this security update |
HotPatching | This security update does not support HotPatching. For more information about HotPatching, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 897341. |
Removal Information | Use Add or Remove Programs tool in Control Panel or the Spuninst.exe utility located in the %Windir%\$NTUninstallKB956841$\Spuninst folder |
File Information | See Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 956841 |
Registry Key Verification | HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Updates\Windows Server 2003\SP3\KB956841\Filelist |
Switch | Description |
---|---|
**/help** | Displays the command-line options. |
Setup Modes | |
**/passive** | Unattended Setup mode. No user interaction is required, but installation status is displayed. If a restart is required at the end of Setup, a dialog box will be presented to the user with a timer warning that the computer will restart in 30 seconds. |
**/quiet** | Quiet mode. This is the same as unattended mode, but no status or error messages are displayed. |
Restart Options | |
**/norestart** | Does not restart when installation has completed. |
**/forcerestart** | Restarts the computer after installation and force other applications to close at shutdown without saving open files first. |
**/warnrestart\[:x\]** | Presents a dialog box with a timer warning the user that the computer will restart in *x* seconds. (The default setting is 30 seconds.) Intended for use with the **/quiet** switch or the **/passive** switch. |
**/promptrestart** | Displays a dialog box prompting the local user to allow a restart. |
Special Options | |
**/overwriteoem** | Overwrites OEM files without prompting. |
**/nobackup** | Does not back up files needed for uninstall. |
**/forceappsclose** | Forces other programs to close when the computer shuts down. |
**/log:path** | Allows the redirection of installation log files. |
**/integrate:path** | Integrates the update into the Windows source files. These files are located at the path that is specified in the switch. |
**/extract\[:path\]** | Extracts files without starting the Setup program. |
**/ER** | Enables extended error reporting. |
**/verbose** | Enables verbose logging. During installation, creates %Windir%\\CabBuild.log. This log details the files that are copied. Using this switch may cause the installation to proceed more slowly. |
Removing the Update
This security update supports the following setup switches.
Switch | Description |
---|---|
**/help** | Displays the command-line options. |
Setup Modes | |
**/passive** | Unattended Setup mode. No user interaction is required, but installation status is displayed. If a restart is required at the end of Setup, a dialog box will be presented to the user with a timer warning that the computer will restart in 30 seconds. |
**/quiet** | Quiet mode. This is the same as unattended mode, but no status or error messages are displayed. |
Restart Options | |
**/norestart** | Does not restart when installation has completed. |
**/forcerestart** | Restarts the computer after installation and force other applications to close at shutdown without saving open files first. |
**/warnrestart\[:x\]** | Presents a dialog box with a timer warning the user that the computer will restart in *x* seconds. (The default setting is 30 seconds.) Intended for use with the **/quiet** switch or the **/passive** switch. |
**/promptrestart** | Displays a dialog box prompting the local user to allow a restart. |
Special Options | |
**/forceappsclose** | Forces other programs to close when the computer shuts down. |
**/log:path** | Allows the redirection of installation log files. |
Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer
To verify that a security update has been applied to an affected system, you may be able to use the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) tool. See the section, Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance, earlier in this bulletin for more information.
File Version Verification
Because there are several editions of Microsoft Windows, the following steps may be different on your system. If they are, see your product documentation to complete these steps.
- Click Start, and then click Search.
- In the Search Results pane, click All files and folders under Search Companion.
- In the All or part of the file name box, type a file name from the appropriate file information table, and then click Search.
- In the list of files, right-click a file name from the appropriate file information table, and then click Properties. Note Depending on the edition of the operating system, or the programs that are installed on your system, some of the files that are listed in the file information table may not be installed.
- On the Version tab, determine the version of the file that is installed on your system by comparing it to the version that is documented in the appropriate file information table. Note Attributes other than the file version may change during installation. Comparing other file attributes to the information in the file information table is not a supported method of verifying that the update has been applied. Also, in certain cases, files may be renamed during installation. If the file or version information is not present, use one of the other available methods to verify update installation.
Registry Key Verification
You may also be able to verify the files that this security update has installed by reviewing the registry keys listed in the Reference Table in this section.
These registry keys may not contain a complete list of installed files. Also, these registry keys may not be created correctly when an administrator or an OEM integrates or slipstreams this security update into the Windows installation source files.
Windows Vista (all editions)
Reference Table
The following table contains the security update information for this software. You can find additional information in the subsection, Deployment Information, in this section.
Inclusion in Future Service Packs | The update for this issue will be included in a future service pack or update rollup |
Deployment | |
Installing without user intervention | For all supported 32-bit editions of Windows Vista: Windows6.0-KB956841-x86 /quiet For all supported x64-based editions of Windows Vista: Windows6.0-KB956841-x64 /quiet |
Installing without restarting | For all supported 32-bit editions of Windows Vista: Windows6.0-KB956841-x86 /quiet /norestart For all supported x64-based editions of Windows Vista: Windows6.0-KB956841-x64 /quiet /norestart |
Further information | See the subsection, Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance |
Restart Requirement | |
Restart required? | Yes, you must restart your system after you apply this security update |
HotPatching | Not applicable. |
Removal Information | WUSA.exe does not support uninstall of updates. To uninstall an update installed by WUSA, click Control Panel, and then click Security. Under Windows Update, click View installed updates and select from the list of updates. |
File Information | See Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 956841 |
Registry Key Verification | Note A registry key does not exist to validate the presence of this update. |
Inclusion in Future Service Packs | The update for this issue will be included in a future service pack or update rollup |
Deployment | |
Installing without user intervention | For all supported 32-bit editions of Windows Server 2008: Windows6.0-KB956841-x86 /quiet For all supported x64-based editions of Windows Server 2008: Windows6.0-KB956841-x64 /quiet For all supported Itanium-based editions of Windows Server 2008: Windows6.0-KB956841-ia64 /quiet |
Installing without restarting | For all supported 32-bit editions of Windows Server 2008: Windows6.0-KB956841-x86 /quiet /norestart For all supported x64-based editions of Windows Server 2008: Windows6.0-KB956841-x64 /quiet /norestart For all supported Itanium-based editions of Windows Server 2008: Windows6.0-KB956841-ia64 /quiet /norestart |
Further information | See the subsection, Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance |
Restart Requirement | |
Restart required? | Yes, you must restart your system after you apply this security update |
HotPatching | Not applicable. |
Removal Information | WUSA.exe does not support uninstall of updates. To uninstall an update installed by WUSA, click Control Panel, and then click Security. Under Windows Update, click View installed updates and select from the list of updates. |
File Information | See Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 956841 |
Registry Key Verification | Note A registry key does not exist to validate the presence of this update. |