Microsoft Security Bulletin MS16-039 - Critical

• 10/11/2017
• 16 minutes to read
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Security Update for Microsoft Graphics Component (3148522)

Published: April 12, 2016 | Updated: April 10, 2018

Version: 5.0

Executive Summary

This security update resolves vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows, Microsoft .NET Framework, Microsoft Office, Skype for Business, and Microsoft Lync. The most severe of the vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution if a user opens a specially crafted document or visits a webpage that contains specially crafted embedded fonts.

This security update is rated Critical for:

• All supported releases of Microsoft Windows
• Affected versions of Microsoft .NET Framework on all supported releases of Microsoft Windows
• Affected editions of Skype for Business 2016, Microsoft Lync 2013, and Microsoft Lync 2010

This security update is rated Important for all affected editions of Microsoft Office 2007 and Microsoft Office 2010.

For more information, see the Affected Software section.

The security update addresses the vulnerabilities by correcting how the Windows font library handles embedded fonts. For more information about the vulnerabilities, see the Vulnerability Information section.

For more information about this update, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 3148522.

Affected Software and Vulnerability Severity Ratings

The following software versions or editions are affected. Versions or editions that are not listed are either past their support life cycle or are not affected. To determine the support life cycle for your software version or edition, see Microsoft Support Lifecycle.

The severity ratings indicated for each affected software 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 April bulletin summary.

Microsoft Windows

^[2]Windows 10 updates are cumulative. The monthly security release includes all security fixes for vulnerabilities that affect Windows 10, in addition to non-security updates. The updates are available via the Microsoft Update Catalog.

Note Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview 4 and Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview 5 are affected. Customers running these operating systems are encouraged to apply the update, which is available via Windows Update.

*The Updates Replaced column shows only the latest update in any chain of superseded updates. For a comprehensive list of updates replaced, go to the Microsoft Update Catalog, search for the update KB number, and then view update details (updates replaced information is provided on the Package Details tab).

Microsoft Office

Unspecified formatting error.

Microsoft .NET Framework

Note Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview 4 and Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview 5 are affected. Customers running these operating systems are encouraged to apply the update, which is available via Windows Update.

Microsoft Communications Platforms and Software

^[2]This update is available from the Microsoft Download Center only.

^[3]An update for the Conferencing Add-in for Microsoft Office Outlook is also available. For more information and download links, see Download the Conferencing Add-in for Microsoft Office Outlook.

*The Updates Replaced column shows only the latest update in a chain of superseded updates. For a comprehensive list of updates replaced, go to the Microsoft Update Catalog, search for the update KB number, and then view update details (updates replaced information is on the Package Details tab).

Update FAQ

Does this update contain any additional security-related changes to functionality?  In addition to the changes that are listed for the vulnerabilities described in this bulletin, this update includes defense-in-depth updates to help improve security-related features.

I am running Office 2010, which is listed as affected software. Why am I not being offered the update?
The update is not applicable to Office 2010 on Windows Vista and later versions of Windows because the vulnerable code is not present.

I am being offered this update for software that is not specifically indicated as being affected in the Affected Software and Vulnerability Severity Ratings table. Why am I being offered this update?
When updates address vulnerable code that exists in a component that is shared between multiple Microsoft Office products or shared between multiple versions of the same Microsoft Office product, the update is considered to be applicable to all supported products and versions that contain the vulnerable component.

For example, when an update applies to Microsoft Office 2007 products, only Microsoft Office 2007 may be specifically listed in the Affected Software table. However, the update could apply to Microsoft Word 2007, Microsoft Excel 2007, Microsoft Visio 2007, Microsoft Compatibility Pack, Microsoft Excel Viewer, or any other Microsoft Office 2007 product that is not specifically listed in the Affected Software table. Furthermore, when an update applies to Microsoft Office 2010 products, only Microsoft Office 2010 may be specifically listed in the Affected Software table. However, the update could apply to Microsoft Word 2010, Microsoft Excel 2010, Microsoft Visio 2010, Microsoft Visio Viewer, or any other Microsoft Office 2010 product that is not specifically listed in the Affected Software table.

For more information on this behavior and recommended actions, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 830335. For a list of Microsoft Office products an update may apply to, refer to the Microsoft Knowledge Base Article associated with the specific update.

Are there any prerequisites for any of the updates offered in this bulletin for affected editions of Microsoft Lync 2013 (Skype for Business)?
Yes. Customers running affected editions of Microsoft Lync 2013 (Skype for Business) must first install the 2965218 update for Office 2013 released in April, 2015, and then the 3039779 security update released in May, 2015. For more information about these two prerequisite updates, see:

• https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2965218
• Knowledge Base Article 3039779

Are there any related non-security updates that customers should install along with the Microsoft Live Meeting Console security update?
Yes, in addition to releasing a security update for Microsoft Live Meeting Console, Microsoft has released the following non-security updates for the OCS Conferencing Addin for Outlook. Where applicable, Microsoft recommends that customers install these updates to keep their systems up-to-date:

• OCS Conferencing Addin for Outlook (32-bit) (3144431)
• OCS Conferencing Addin for Outlook (64-bit) (3144431)

See Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 3144431 for more information.

Why is the Lync 2010 Attendee (user level install) update only available from the Microsoft Download Center?
Microsoft is releasing the update for Lync 2010 Attendee (user level install) to the Microsoft Download Center only. Because the user level installation of Lync 2010 Attendee is handled through a Lync session, distribution methods such as automatic updating are not appropriate for this type of installation scenario.

Vulnerability Information

Multiple Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerabilities

Elevation of privilege vulnerabilities exist when the Windows kernel-mode driver fails to properly handle objects in memory. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerabilities could run arbitrary code in kernel mode. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights.

To exploit the vulnerabilities, an attacker would first have to log on to the system. An attacker could then run a specially crafted application that could exploit the vulnerabilities and take control of an affected system. The update addresses the vulnerabilities by correcting how the Windows kernel-mode driver handles objects in memory.

The following tables contain links to the standard entry for each vulnerability in the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures list: