• Article

Security Bulletin

Microsoft Security Bulletin MS99-005 - Important

BackOffice Server 4.0 Does Not Delete Installation Setup File

Published: February 12, 1999

Version: 1.0

Originally Posted: February 12, 1999

Summary

Microsoft has learned of a potential vulnerability in the installer for BackOffice Server 4.0. The installer asks the user to provide the account userid and password for selected services and writes these to a file in order to automate the installation process. However, the file is not deleted when the installation process completes. As detailed below, Microsoft recommends that BackOffice 4.0 customers delete this file.

Microsoft has received no reports of customers being adversely affected by this problem. However, it is releasing this security bulletin in order to proactively provide customers with information about the problem in order to allow them to take steps to ensure their safe computing.

Issue

When a user chooses to install SQL Server, Exchange Server or Microsoft Transaction Server as part of a BackOffice 4.0 installation, the BackOffice installer program requests the name and password for the accounts associated with these services. Specifically, it asks for the account name and password for the SQL Executive Logon account, the Exchange Services Account, and the MTS Remote Administration Account. These values are stored in <systemdrive>\Program Files\Microsoft Backoffice\Reboot.ini, and used to install the associated services.

BackOffice Server does not erase this file when the installation process is completed. This is true regardless of whether the installation process completes successfully or unsuccessfully. By default, the Microsoft BackOffice folder is not shared, so network access to reboot.ini generally does not pose a risk. Users who can log onto the server locally would be able to access the file, but in most cases this ability is granted only to selected users such as administrators.

The fix for this problem is to delete the file <systemdrive>\Program Files\Microsoft Backoffice\Reboot.ini after each BackOffice 4.0 installation, whether successful or not. The file is created only by the installer, and, once deleted, will not be re-created unless BackOffice 4.0 is re-installed.

Affected Software Versions

The following software versions are affected:

  • Microsoft BackOffice Server 4.0

Vulnerability Identifier: CVE-1999-0372

What Microsoft is Doing

On February 12th, Microsoft sent this security bulletin to customers subscribing to the Microsoft Product Security Notification Service. See The Microsoft Product Security Notification Service for more information about this free customer service.

Microsoft has published the following Knowledge Base (KB) article on this issue:

Microsoft is investigating its product line to ensure that other products are not affected by similar vulnerabilities. When the investigation is completed, this bulletin will be modified to provide the results, and Microsoft will take additional action as warranted.

What customers should do

Microsoft recommends that customers ensure that they delete the file <systemdrive>\Program Files\Microsoft Backoffice\Reboot.ini after the installation program for BackOffice 4.0 completes

More Information

Please see the following references for more information related to this issue.

Obtaining Support on this Issue

If you require technical assistance with this issue, please contact Microsoft Technical Support. For information on contacting Microsoft Technical Support, please see https:.

Acknowledgments

Microsoft would like to acknowledge Angelo Maggio for bringing this problem to our attention.

Revisions

  • February 12, 1999: Bulletin Created

For additional security-related information about Microsoft products, please visit https://www.microsoft.com/technet/security

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