Security Bulletin
Microsoft Security Bulletin MS12-029 - Critical
Vulnerability in Microsoft Word Could Allow Remote Code Execution (2680352)
Published: May 08, 2012 | Updated: June 20, 2012
Version: 1.2
General Information
Executive Summary
This security update resolves a privately reported vulnerability in Microsoft Office. The vulnerability could allow remote code execution if a user opens a specially crafted RTF file. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could gain the same user rights as the current 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.
This security update is rated Critical for all supported editions of Microsoft Word 2007. This security update is also rated Important for all supported editions of Microsoft Word 2003, Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac, and Microsoft Office for Mac 2011; and all supported versions of Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack. For more information, see the subsection, Affected and Non-Affected Software, in this section.
The security update addresses the vulnerabilities by modifying the way that Microsoft Office parses RTF-formatted data. For more information about the vulnerabilities, see the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) subsection for the specific vulnerability entry under the next section, Vulnerability Information.
Recommendation. Customers can configure automatic updating to check online for updates from Microsoft Update by using the Microsoft Update service. Customers who have automatic updating enabled and configured to check online for updates from Microsoft Update typically will not need to take any action because this security update will be downloaded and installed automatically. Customers who have not enabled automatic updating need to check for updates from Microsoft Update and install this update manually. For information about specific configuration options in automatic updating in supported editions of Windows XP and Windows Server 2003, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 294871. For information about automatic updating in supported editions of Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008 R2, see Understanding Windows automatic updating.
For administrators and enterprise installations, or end users who want to install this security update manually, Microsoft recommends that customers apply the update immediately using update management software, or by checking for updates using the Microsoft Update service.
See also the section, Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance, later in this bulletin.
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
Microsoft Office Suite and Other Software | Component | Maximum Security Impact | Aggregate Severity Rating | Updates Replaced |
---|---|---|---|---|
Microsoft Office Suites and Components | ||||
Microsoft Office 2003 Service Pack 3 | [Microsoft Word 2003 Service Pack 3](https://www.microsoft.com/download/details.aspx?familyid=9819899d-7f7f-4ddd-9fc8-816a57d2979e) (KB2598332) | Remote Code Execution | Important | KB2344911 in [MS10-079](http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=201696) replaced by KB2598332 |
Microsoft Office 2007 Service Pack 2 | [Microsoft Word 2007 Service Pack 2](https://www.microsoft.com/download/details.aspx?familyid=c6f79d01-8735-4b0f-a50b-90cde3fba4ee)[1] (KB2596917) | Remote Code Execution | Critical | KB2344993 in [MS10-079](http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=201696) replaced by KB2596917 |
Microsoft Office 2007 Service Pack 3 | [Microsoft Word 2007 Service Pack 3](https://www.microsoft.com/download/details.aspx?familyid=c6f79d01-8735-4b0f-a50b-90cde3fba4ee)[1] (KB2596917) | Remote Code Execution | Critical | None |
Microsoft Office for Mac | ||||
[Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac](https://www.microsoft.com/download/details.aspx?familyid=8f85fc23-480e-4835-9ce5-0aa56702ef59) (KB2665346) | Not applicable | Remote Code Execution | Important | KB2644354 in [MS11-094](http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=232493) replaced by KB2665346 |
[Microsoft Office for Mac 2011](https://www.microsoft.com/download/details.aspx?familyid=5d88d3d4-89bd-44c3-9e5a-657998223e2f) (KB2665351) | Not applicable | Remote Code Execution | Important | KB2644347 in [MS11-089](http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=225739) replaced by KB2665351 |
Other Microsoft Office Software | ||||
[Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack Service Pack 2](https://www.microsoft.com/download/details.aspx?familyid=80d5a86a-33b0-4464-af76-0fe13bd07a5c) (KB2596880) | Not applicable | Remote Code Execution | Important | KB2345043 in [MS10-079](http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=201696) replaced by KB2596880 |
[Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack Service Pack 3](https://www.microsoft.com/download/details.aspx?familyid=80d5a86a-33b0-4464-af76-0fe13bd07a5c) (KB2596880) | Not applicable | Remote Code Execution | Important | None |
Non-Affected Software
Office and Other Software |
---|
Microsoft Word 2010 and Microsoft Word 2010 Service Pack 1 (32-bit editions) |
Microsoft Word 2010 and Microsoft Word 2010 Service Pack 1 (64-bit editions) |
Microsoft Word Viewer |
Microsoft Works 9 |
Microsoft Office Web Apps and Microsoft Office Web Apps Service Pack 1 |
Microsoft Word Web App and Microsoft Word Web App Service Pack 1 |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Related to This Security Update
Does this update contain any security-related changes to functionality?
Yes. The MS12-029 updates for Microsoft Word 2003 Service Pack 3 (KB2598332) and Microsoft Word 2007 Service Pack 2 (KB2596917) include architecture updates for Office File Validation. These architecture updates to Microsoft Word for Office File Validation were previously available only through the updates for Microsoft Word 2003 (KB2464603) and Microsoft Word 2007 (KB2464605).
For more information about Office File Validation, see Microsoft Security Advisory 2501584 and Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 2501584.
I am running Microsoft Word 2003 Service Pack 3 or Microsoft Word 2007 Service Pack 2, why am I encountering an Office File Validation prompt when opening a file?
After applying the MS12-029 update, customers may find that the Office File Validation feature is enabled for Microsoft Word. This can happen when the customer has previously installed the Microsoft Office File Validation Add-in (KB2501584) but had not previously applied the architecture updates to Microsoft Word for Office File Validation. In such cases, since MS12-029 includes the architecture updates for Microsoft Word and since the Office File Validation Add-in has been previously installed, Office File Validation is enabled for Microsoft Word.
Office File Validation can be disabled by setting a registry key to prevent the Office File Validation feature from validating files. For information on how to disable Office File Validation, see Office File Validation for Office 2003 and Office 2007. As an alternative to disabling the Office File Validation feature, Microsoft Word 2007 customers can use the Trusted Locations feature to identify directories whose contents will be excluded from Office File Validation checking.
Where are the file information details?
Refer to the reference tables in the Security Update Deployment section for the location of the file information details.
How is Microsoft Outlook affected by the vulnerability?
Outlook is not directly affected because the vulnerability exists in Microsoft Word. However, if Word is the selected email reader, which is the default case in Microsoft Outlook 2007, then an attacker could leverage Outlook for the email attack vector by sending a specially crafted RTF email message to the target user.
How is this security update related to MS12-030?
The security update packages for Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac (KB2665346) and Microsoft Office for Mac 2011 (KB2665351) offered in this bulletin also address the vulnerabilities described in the MS12-030 security bulletin.
What components of the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack are updated by this bulletin?
The update included with this security bulletin applies only to the specific component within the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack that is affected. For example, in an Excel bulletin, only the Excel compatibility pack component files are included in the update packages and not Word or PowerPoint compatibility pack component files. Word compatibility pack component files are updated in a Word bulletin and PowerPoint compatibility pack component files are updated in a PowerPoint bulletin.
How areMicrosoft Office standalone programs affected by the vulnerability?
A Microsoft Office standalone program is affected with the same severity rating as the corresponding component in a Microsoft Office Suite. For example, a standalone installation of Microsoft Word is affected with the same severity rating as an installation of Microsoft Word that was delivered with a Microsoft Office Suite.
The Microsoft Office component discussed in this article is part of the Microsoft Office Suite that I have installed on my system; however, I did not choose to install this specific component. Will I be offered this update?
Yes, if the component discussed in this bulletin was delivered with the version of the Microsoft Office Suite installed on your system, the system will be offered updates for it whether the component is installed or not. The detection logic used to scan for affected systems is designed to check for updates for all components that were delivered with the particular Microsoft Office Suite and to offer the updates to a system. Users who choose not to apply an update for a component that is not installed, but is delivered with their version of the Microsoft Office Suite, will not increase the security risk of that system. On the other hand, users who do choose to install the update will not have a negative impact on the security or performance of a system.
Does the offer to update a non-vulnerable version of Microsoft Office constitute an issue in the Microsoft update mechanism?
No, the update mechanism is functioning correctly in that it detects a lower version of the files on the system than in the update package and thus, offers the update.
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. For more information about the product lifecycle, visit the Microsoft Support Lifecycle website.
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. To determine the support lifecycle for your software release, see Select a Product for Lifecycle Information. For more information about service packs for these software releases, see Service Pack Lifecycle Support Policy.
Customers who require custom support for older software 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 the Microsoft Worldwide Information website, select the country in the Contact Information list, 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 Microsoft Support Lifecycle Policy FAQ.
Vulnerability Information
Severity Ratings and Vulnerability Identifiers
The following severity ratings assume the potential maximum impact of the vulnerability. For information regarding the likelihood, within 30 days of this security bulletin's release, of the exploitability of the vulnerability in relation to its severity rating and security impact, please see the Exploitability Index in the May bulletin summary. For more information, see Microsoft Exploitability Index.
Affected Software | RTF Mismatch Vulnerability - CVE-2012-0183 | Aggregate Severity Rating |
---|---|---|
Microsoft Word 2003 Service Pack 3 | Important Remote Code Execution |
Important |
Microsoft Word 2007 Service Pack 2 | Critical Remote Code Execution |
Critical |
Microsoft Word 2007 Service Pack 3 | Critical Remote Code Execution |
Critical |
Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac | Important Remote Code Execution |
Important |
Microsoft Office for Mac 2011 | Important Remote Code Execution |
Important |
Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack Service Pack 2 | Important Remote Code Execution |
Important |
Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack Service Pack 3 | Important Remote Code Execution |
Important |
Inclusion in Future Service Packs | There are no more service packs planned for this software. The update for this issue may be included in a future update rollup. |
Deployment | |
Installing without user intervention | For supported editions of Word 2003: Office2003-kb2598332-fullfile-enu.exe /q:a |
Installing without restarting | For supported editions of Word 2003: Office2003-kb2598332-fullfile-enu.exe /r:n |
Update log file | Not applicable |
Further information | For detection and deployment, see the earlier section, Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance. For features you can selectively install, see the Office Features for Administrative Installations subsection in this section. |
Restart Requirement | |
Restart required? | In some cases, this update does not require a restart. If the required files are being used, this update will require a restart. If this behavior occurs, a message appears that advises you to restart. To help reduce the chance that a restart will be required, stop all affected services and close all applications that may use the affected files prior to installing the security update. For more information about the reasons why you may be prompted to restart, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 887012. |
HotPatching | Not applicable |
Removal Information | Use Add or Remove Programs item in Control Panel. Note When you remove this update, you may be prompted to insert the Microsoft Office 2003 CD in the CD drive. Additionally, you may not have the option to uninstall the update from the Add or Remove Programs item in Control Panel. There are several possible causes for this issue. For more information about the removal, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 903771. |
File Information | See Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 2598332 |
Registry Key Verification | Not applicable |
Supported Security Update Installation Switches
Switch | Description |
---|---|
/q | Specifies quiet mode, or suppresses prompts, when files are being extracted. |
/q:u | Specifies user-quiet mode, which presents some dialog boxes to the user. |
/q:a | Specifies administrator-quiet mode, which does not present any dialog boxes to the user. |
/t:path | Specifies the target folder for extracting files. |
/c | Extracts the files without installing them. If /t:path is not specified, you are prompted for a target folder. |
/c:path | Overrides the install command that is defined by author. Specifies the path and name of the Setup.inf or .exe file. |
/r:n | Never restarts the system after installation. |
/r:I | Prompts the user to restart the system if a restart is required, except when used with /q:a. |
/r:a | Always restarts the system after installation. |
/r:s | Restarts the system after installation without prompting the user. |
/n:v | No version checking - Install the program over any earlier version. |
Note You can combine these switches into one command. For backward compatibility, the security update also supports many of the setup switches that the earlier version of the Setup program uses. For more information about the supported installation switches, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 262841.
Removing the Update
To remove this security update, use the Add or Remove Programs item in Control Panel.
Note When you remove this update, you may be prompted to insert the Microsoft Office 2003 CD in the CD drive. Additionally, you may not have the option to uninstall the update from the Add or Remove Programs item in Control Panel. There are several possible causes for this issue. For more information about the removal, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 903771.
Verifying that the Update Has Been Applied
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 enter an update file name in the Start Search box.
- When the file appears under Programs, right-click the file name and click Properties.
- On the General tab, compare the file size with the file information tables provided in the bulletin KB article.
- You can also click the Details tab and compare information, such as file version and date modified, with the file information tables provided in the bulletin KB article.
- Finally, you can also click the Previous Versions tab and compare file information for the previous version of the file with the file information for the new, or updated, version of the file.
Microsoft Office 2007 (all editions) and Microsoft Compatibility Pack (all versions)
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 editions of Word 2007: word2007-kb2596917-fullfile-x86-glb.exe /passive |
For all supported versions of Office Compatibility Pack: wordconv2007-kb2596880-fullfile-x86-glb.exe /passive |
|
Installing without restarting | For all supported editions of Word 2007: word2007-kb2596917-fullfile-x86-glb.exe /norestart |
For all supported versions of Office Compatibility Pack: wordconv2007-kb2596880-fullfile-x86-glb.exe /norestart |
|
Update log file | Not applicable |
Further information | For detection and deployment, see the earlier section, Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance. |
Restart Requirement | |
Restart required? | In some cases, this update does not require a restart. If the required files are being used, this update will require a restart. If this behavior occurs, a message appears that advises you to restart. To help reduce the chance that a restart will be required, stop all affected services and close all applications that may use the affected files prior to installing the security update. For more information about the reasons why you may be prompted to restart, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 887012. |
HotPatching | Not applicable |
Removal Information | Use Add or Remove Programs item in Control Panel. |
File Information | For Word 2007, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 2596917 |
For Office Compatibility Pack, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 2596880 | |
Registry Key Verification | Not applicable |
Supported Security Update Installation Switches
Switch | Description |
---|---|
/? or /help | Displays usage dialog. |
/passive | Specifies passive mode. Requires no user interaction; users see basic progress dialogs but cannot cancel. |
/quiet | Specifies quiet mode, or suppresses prompts, when files are being extracted. |
/norestart | Suppresses restarting the system if the update requires a restart. |
/forcerestart | Automatically restarts the system after applying the update, regardless of whether the update requires the restart. |
/extract | Extracts the files without installing them. You are prompted for a target folder. |
/extract:<path> | Overrides the install command that is defined by author. Specifies the path and name of the Setup.inf or .exe file. |
/lang:<LCID> | Forces the use of a specific language, when the update package supports that language. |
/log:<log file> | Enables logging, by both Vnox and Installer, during the update installation. |
Note You can combine these switches into one command. For backward compatibility, the security update also supports many of the setup switches that the earlier version of the Setup program uses. For more information about the supported installation switches, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 262841.
Removing the Update
To remove this security update, use the Add or Remove Programs item in Control Panel.
Note When you remove this update, you may be prompted to insert the 2007 Microsoft Office CD in the CD drive. Additionally, you may not have the option to uninstall the update from the Add or Remove Programs item in Control Panel. There are several possible causes for this issue. For more information about the removal, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 903771.
Verifying that the Update Has Been Applied
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 enter an update file name in the Start Search box.
- When the file appears under Programs, right-click the file name and click Properties.
- On the General tab, compare the file size with the file information tables provided in the bulletin KB article.
Note Depending on the edition of the operating system, or the programs that are installed on your system, some files that are listed in the file information table may not be installed. - You can also click the Details tab and compare information, such as file version and date modified, with the file information tables provided in the bulletin KB article.
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. - Finally, you can also click the Previous Versions tab and compare file information for the previous version of the file with the file information for the new, or updated, version of the file.
Office 2008 for Mac
Deployment Information
Prerequisites
- Mac OS X version 10.4.9 or later version on an Intel, PowerPC G5, or PowerPC G4 (500 MHz or faster) processor
- Mac OS X user accounts must have administrator privileges to install this security update
Installing the Update
Download and install the appropriate language version of the Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac 12.3.3 Update from the Microsoft Download Center.
- Quit any applications that are running, including virus-protection applications, all Microsoft Office applications, Microsoft Messenger for Mac, and Office Notifications, because they might interfere with installation.
- Open the Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac 12.3.3 Update volume on your desktop. This step might have been performed for you.
- To start the update process, in the Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac 12.3.3 Update volume window, double-click the Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac 12.3.3 Update application, and follow the instructions on the screen.
- If the installation finishes successfully, you can remove the update installer from your hard disk. To verify that the installation finished successfully, see the following "Verifying Update Installation" heading. To remove the update installer, first drag the Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac 12.3.3 Update volume to the Trash, and then drag the file that you downloaded to the Trash.
Verifying Update Installation
To verify that a security update is installed on an affected system, follow these steps:
- In the Finder, navigate to the Application Folder (Microsoft Office 2008: Office).
- Select the file, Microsoft Component Plugin.
- On the File menu, click Get Info or Show Info.
If the Version number is 12.3.3, the update has been successfully installed.
Restart Requirement
This update does not require you to restart your computer.
Removing the Update
This security update cannot be uninstalled.
Additional Information
If you have technical questions or problems downloading or using this update, visit Microsoft for Mac Support to learn about the support options that are available to you.
Office for Mac 2011
Deployment Information
Prerequisites
- Mac OS X version 10.5.8 or later version on an Intel processor
- Mac OS X user accounts must have administrator privileges to install this security update
Installing the Update
Download and install the appropriate language version of the Microsoft Office for Mac 2011 14.2.2 Update from the Microsoft Download Center.
- Quit any applications that are running, including virus-protection applications and all Microsoft Office applications, because they might interfere with installation.
- Open the Microsoft Office for Mac 2011 14.2.2 Update volume on your desktop. This step might have been performed for you.
- To start the update process, in the Microsoft Office for Mac 2011 14.2.2 Update volume window, double-click the Microsoft Office for Mac 2011 14.2.2 Update application, and follow the instructions on the screen.
- When the installation finishes successfully, you can remove the update installer from your hard disk. To verify that the installation finished successfully, see the following "Verifying Update Installation" heading. To remove the update installer, first drag the Microsoft Office for Mac 2011 14.2.2 Update volume to the Trash, and then drag the file that you downloaded to the Trash.
Verifying Update Installation
To verify that a security update is installed on an affected system, follow these steps:
- In the Finder, navigate to the Application Folder (Microsoft Office 2011).
- Select Word, Excel, PowerPoint or Outlook and launch the application.
- On the Application menu, click About Application_Name (where Application_Name is Word, Excel, PowerPoint or Outlook).
If the Latest Installed Update Version number is 14.2.2, the update has been successfully installed.
Restart Requirement
This update does not require you to restart your computer.
Removing the Update
This security update cannot be uninstalled.
Additional Information
If you have technical questions or problems downloading or using this update, visit Microsoft for Mac Support to learn about the support options that are available to you.
Other Information
Acknowledgments
Microsoft thanks the following for working with us to help protect customers:
- An anonymous researcher, working with TippingPoint'sZero Day Initiative, for reporting RTF Mismatch Vulnerability (CVE-2012-0183)
Microsoft Active Protections Program (MAPP)
To improve security protections for customers, Microsoft provides vulnerability information to major security software providers in advance of each monthly security update release. Security software providers can then use this vulnerability information to provide updated protections to customers via their security software or devices, such as antivirus, network-based intrusion detection systems, or host-based intrusion prevention systems. To determine whether active protections are available from security software providers, please visit the active protections websites provided by program partners, listed in Microsoft Active Protections Program (MAPP) Partners.
Support
How to obtain help and support for this security update
- Help installing updates: Support for Microsoft Update
- Security solutions for IT professionals: TechNet Security Troubleshooting and Support
- Help protect your computer that is running Windows from viruses and malware: Virus Solution and Security Center
- Local support according to your country: International Support
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 (May 8, 2012): Bulletin published.
- V1.1 (May 9, 2012): Corrected update replacement information for Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack Service Pack 2. This is a bulletin change only. There were no changes to detection logic or security update files.
- V1.2 (June 20, 2012): Added entries to the update FAQ to clarify that the updates for Microsoft Word 2003 Service Pack 3 (KB2598332) and Microsoft Word 2007 Service Pack 2 (KB2596917) include architecture updates for Office File Validation.
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