- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: Flaw in Windows Function Could Allow Denial of Service (823803) Date: 23 July 2003 Software: Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Server Impact: Denial of service Max Risk: Moderate Bulletin: MS03-029 Microsoft encourages customers to review the Security Bulletins at: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS03-029.asp http://www.microsoft.com/security/security_bulletins/ms03-029.asp - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Issue: ====== A flaw exists in a Windows NT 4.0 Server file management function that can cause a denial of service vulnerability. The flaw results because the affected function can cause memory that it does not own to be freed when a specially crafted request is passed to it. If the application making the request to the function does not carry out any user input validation and allows the specially crafted request to be passed to the function, the function may free memory that it does not own. As a result, the application passing the request could fail. By default, the affected function is not accessible remotely, however applications installed on the operating system that are available remotely may make use of the affected function. Application servers or Web servers are two such applications that may access the function. Note that Internet Information Server 4.0 (IIS 4.0) does not, by default, make use of the affected function. Mitigating Factors: ==================== - -The default installation of Windows NT 4.0 Server is not vulnerable to a remote denial of service. Additional software that makes use of the affected file management function must be installed on the system to expose the vulnerability remotely. - -If the application calling the affected file management function carries out input validation, the specially crafted request may not be passed to the vulnerable function. - -The vulnerability cannot be used to cause Windows NT 4.0 Server itself to fail. Only the application that makes the request may fail. Risk Rating: ============ -Moderate Patch Availability: =================== - A patch is available to fix this vulnerability. Please read the Security Bulletins at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms03-029.asp http://www.microsoft.com/security/security_bulletins/ms03-029.asp for information on obtaining this patch. Acknowledgment: =============== - Matt Miller and Jeremy Rauch of @stake, http://www.atstake.com - --------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ******************************************************************