CERT-In Vulnerability Note
CIVN-2005-0053
Outlook Express NNTP response parsing Vulnerability
Original Issue Date:June 15, 2005
Severity Rating: MEDIUM
Systems Affected
- Outlook Express 5.5 Service Pack 2 on Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 and on Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4
- Outlook Express 6 Service Pack 1 on Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 3, on Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4, or on Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 1
- Outlook Express 6 Service Pack 1 for Microsoft Windows XP 64-Bit Edition Service Pack 1 Itanium
- Outlook Express 6 for Microsoft Windows XP 64-Bit Edition Version 2003 Itanium
- Outlook Express 6 for Microsoft Windows Server 2003 for Itanium-based Systems
- Outlook Express 6 for Microsoft Windows Server 2003
Overview
This vulnerability is caused due to a boundary error within the parsing of Network News Transfer Protocol NNTP responses when using Outlook Express as a newsgroup reader. This can be exploited to cause a buffer overflow via a malicious newsgroup server.
Description
A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Outlook Express when it is used as a newsgroup reader. An attacker could exploit the vulnerability by constructing a malicious newsgroup server that could potentially allow remote code execution if a user queried the server for news.
An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of an affected system. However, user interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability
Workaround
Block NNTP traffic on ports 119 TCP and 119 UDP. Only allow connections to trusted newsgroup servers through firewall. Block the affected ports by using IPSec on the affected systems.
Solution
Apply appropriate patches as mentioned in Microsoft Security Bulletin
MS05-030
Vendor Information
Microsoft Corporation
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS05-030.mspx
References
Microsoft Security Bulletin
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS05-030.mspx
US CERT Vulnerability Note VU#130614
http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/130614
Security Focus bugtraq id 13951
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/13951
Secunia Advisory SA15695
http://secunia.com/advisories/15695/
iDEFENSE Security Advisory
http://www.idefense.com/application/poi/displayid=263&type=vulnerabilities&flashstatus=true
CVE Name
CAN-2005-1213
Disclaimer
The information provided herein is on "as is" basis, without warranty of any kind.
Contact Information
Email: info@cert-in.org.in Phone: +91-11-2436857
Postal address
Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In)
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
Government of India
Electronics Niketan
6, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road,
New Delhi - 110 003
India
|