Alert:Microsoft Security Bulletin - MS02-012
From: Russ (Russ.Cooper@RC.ON.CA)Date: 03/20/02
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Date: Wed, 20 Mar 2002 03:16:43 -0500 From: Russ <Russ.Cooper@RC.ON.CA> To: NTBUGTRAQ@LISTSERV.NTBUGTRAQ.COM
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS02-012.asp
Malformed Data Transfer Request can Cause Windows SMTP Service to Fail
Originally posted: February 27, 2002
Summary
Who should read this bulletin: Customers using Microsoft® Windows® 2000 Server and Professional, Windows XP Professional and Exchange Server 2000
Impact of vulnerability:Denial of Service
Maximum Severity Rating:Low
Recommendation:Customers who need the Windows 2000 SMTP services should apply the patch; all others should disable the SMTP service.
Affected Software:
- Microsoft Windows 2000
- Microsoft Windows XP Professional
- Microsoft Exchange 2000
Technical description:
An SMTP service installs by default as part of Windows 2000 server products. Exchange 2000, which can only be installed on Windows 2000, uses the native Windows 2000 SMTP service rather than providing its own. In addition, Windows 2000 and Windows XP workstation products provide an SMTP service that is not installed by default. All of these implementations contain a flaw that could enable denial of service attacks to be mounted against the service.
The flaw involves how the service handles a particular type of SMTP command used to transfer the data that constitutes an incoming mail. By sending a malformed version of this command, an attacker could cause the SMTP service to fail. This would have the effect of disrupting mail services on the affected system, but would not cause the operating system itself to fail.
Mitigating factors:
- Windows XP Home Edition does not provide an SMTP service, and is not affected by the vulnerability.
- Windows 2000 Professional and Windows XP Professional do provide an SMTP service, but it is not installed by default.
- Windows 2000 server products do install the SMTP service by default. However, best practices recommend disabling any unneeded services, and systems on which the SMTP service had been disabled would not be at risk.
- Exchange 5.5, even if installed on a Windows 2000 server, is not affected by the vulnerability.
- The result of an attack would be limited to disrupting the SMTP service and, depending on the system configuration, potentially IIS and other internet services as well. However, it would not disrupt any other system functions.
- The vulnerability would not enable an attacker to gain any privileges on the affected system or to access users' email or data.
Vulnerability identifier: CAN-2002-0055
This email is sent to NTBugtraq automatically as a service to my subscribers. Since its programmatically created, and since its been a long time since anyone paid actual money for my programming skills, it may or may not look that good...;-]
I can only hope that the information it does contain can be read well enough to serve its purpose.
Cheers,
Russ - Surgeon General of TruSecure Corporation/NTBugtraq Editor
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