Security...

Microsoft Security Bulletin Update

August 2006

The monthly Microsoft security updates for August 2006 were released on Tuesday August 8th. 12 security updates were released, addressing 23 separate issues in supported Windows operating systems and related components.

The August bulletin includes MS06-040 through MS06-044; MS06-046 through MS06-048; and MS06-051 which Microsoft rates at a �critical� level, and MS06-045, MS06-049, and MS06-050 which are rated at an �important� level.

The potential impact to RALS customers are color coded as follows:

Red (immediate threat/urgent action needed)

Green (routine process or no action needed)

Black (action needed/recommended)

MS06-040 � Critical
Vulnerability in Server Service Could Allow Remote Code Execution (921883)

MS06-041 � Critical
Vulnerabilities in DNS Resolution Could Allow Remote Code Execution (920683)

MS06-042 � Critical
Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (918899)

MS06-043 � Critical
Vulnerability in Microsoft Windows Could Allow Remote Code Execution (920214)

MS06-044 � Critical
Vulnerability in Microsoft Management Console Could Allow Remote Code Execution (917008)

MS06-045 � Important
Vulnerability in Windows Explorer Could Allow Remote Code Execution (921398)

MS06-046 � Critical
Vulnerability in HTML Help Could Allow Remote Code Execution (922616)

MS06-047 � Critical
Vulnerability in Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications Could Allow Remote Code Execution (921645)

MS06-048 � Critical
Vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office Could Allow Remote Code Execution (922968)

MS06-049 � Important
Vulnerability in Windows Kernel Could Result in Elevation of Privilege (920958)

MS06-050 � Important
Vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows Hyperlink Object Library Could Allow Remote Code Execution (920670)

MS06-051 � Critical
Vulnerability in Windows Kernel Could Result in Remote Code Execution (917422)

NOTE: Since Microsoft has ended support for Windows NT based systems; the potential for the following vulnerabilities to affect Windows NT based systems was not addressed or reviewed nor was any patch provided by Microsoft for NT systems.

MS06-040 � Critical

Vulnerability in Server Service Could Allow Remote Code Execution (921883)

This update addresses a remote code execution vulnerability in Server Service that could allow an attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability to take complete control of the affected system.

This affects Windows 2000 SP4, Windows 2003 SP1 and Windows XP SP2 systems.

An attacker could try to exploit the vulnerability by creating and sending a specially crafted message to the affected system. Exploiting this vulnerability could lead to code execution. An anonymous user could potentially exploit this issue remotely, with no user interaction needed.

As Windows based systems, all RALS systems are potentially at risk as are related systems such as the iStat DE system. While most RALS systems are protected from direct Internet access by customer firewalls, the systems would not be protected from remote attacks from inside the customer network. Network attacks may be based on access to TCP ports 139 and/or 445.

Recommend this update be tested against supported versions of RALS products and if successful, be approved, released, and applied as a critical RALS security update. The update appears to change one file on Windows 2000 systems, four files on Windows 2003 systems, and three files on Windows XP systems. The expected risk for adverse effects on RALS operations should be low.

MS06-041 � Critical

Vulnerabilities in DNS Resolution Could Allow Remote Code Execution (920683)

This update resolves several newly discovered, privately reported vulnerabilities in Windows Sockets and the way Windows handles DNS resolution.

This affects Windows 2000 SP4, Windows 2003 SP1 and Windows XP SP2 systems.

The Winsock hostname vulnerability could be exploited by an attacker who persuaded a user to open a specially crafted file or view a specially crafted website. There is no way for an attacker to force a user to open a specially crafted file. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of an affected system.

The DNS client vulnerability could be exploited by an anonymous user; however an attacker would either have to be on a subnet between the host and the DNS server. This vulnerability can not be exploited over the internet.

Recommend this update be included with the next regular RALS product test and release cycle. The expected risk for adverse effects on RALS operations from this update is low. The update appears to change ten files on Windows 2003 systems, six on Windows XP systems, and three on Windows 2000 systems.

MS06-042 � Critical

Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (918899)

This update resolves a newly-discovered public vulnerability and other privately-reported variations of the same vulnerability in Internet Explorer.

This affects Windows 2000 SP4, Windows 2003 SP1 and Windows XP SP2 systems running IE 6. As a cumulative update to IE this update replaces previous IE cumulative updates including MS06-021.

An attacker could exploit the vulnerabilities by hosting a malicious web page and enticing the user to visit this site or delivering the malicious HTML content by other means such as email. These issues can NOT be exploited without user interaction. The impact of successful exploit could be remote code execution. If the logged in user had administrative rights, the code execution could take complete control over the system.

Typical RALS systems do have IE installed and require its use for the web based system components of RALS. This vulnerability cannot be exploited without user interaction. The user cannot be forced to visit the malicious web page and the intended use for the RALS systems does not support users using the RALS systems for non-RALS related "web-surfing" activities.

Recommend this update be included with the next regular RALS product test and release cycle. The expected risk for adverse effects on RALS operations from this update is low.

MS06-043 � Critical

Vulnerability in Microsoft Windows Could Allow Remote Code Execution (920214)

This update addresses a newly discovered, privately reported vulnerability in the MHTML protocol used in Outlook Express 6.

This affects Outlook Express 6 on Windows 2003 SP1, and Windows XP SP2.

An a Web-based attack scenario, an attacker could host a Web site that contains a Web page that is used to exploit this vulnerability. In addition, compromised Web sites and Web sites that accept or host user-provided content or advertisements could contain specially crafted content that could exploit this vulnerability. In all cases, however, an attacker would have no way to force users to visit these Web sites or open a HTML e-mail message.

Recommend that the update for be included with the next regular RALS product test and release cycle. This update appears to change two files on Windows 2003 systems, and Windows XP systems. The expected risk for adverse effects on RALS operations from this update is low.

MS06-044 � Critical

Vulnerability in Microsoft Management Console Could Allow Remote Code Execution (917008)

This update resolves a newly discovered, privately reported vulnerability in Microsoft�s Management Console.

This affects Windows 2000 SP4, systems only.

An attacker would have to host a Web site that contains a Web page that is used to exploit this vulnerability. An attacker would have no way to force users to visit a specially crafted Web site. Instead, an attacker would have to persuade them to visit the Web site, typically by getting them to click a link that takes them to the attacker's Web site.

Recommend this update be included with the next regular RALS product test and release cycle. The expected risk for adverse effects on RALS operations from this update is low.

MS06-045 � Important

Vulnerability in Windows Explorer Could Allow Remote Code Execution (921398)

This update resolves a newly-discovered, publicly-reported vulnerability in Windows Explorer.

This affects Windows 2000 SP4, Windows 2003 SP1 and Windows XP SP2 systems.

This update replaces the update that is included with Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-016.

An attacker could exploit the vulnerability by constructing a malicious Web page that could potentially allow an attacker to save a file on the user�s system if a user visited a malicious Web site or viewed a malicious e-mail message. User interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability an attacker would have no way to force users to visit a specially crafted Web site.

Recommend this update be included with the next regular RALS product test and release cycle. The expected risk for adverse effects on RALS operations from this update is low. The update appears to change five files on Windows 2003 systems, nine on Windows XP systems, and one on Windows 2000 systems.

MS06-046 � Critical

Vulnerability in HTML Help Could Allow Remote Code Execution (922616)

This update resolves a newly discovered, publicly reported HTML vulnerability.

This affects Windows 2000 SP4, Windows 2003 SP1 and Windows XP SP2 systems.

This update replaces the update that is included with Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-001.

Recommend this update be included with the next regular RALS product test and release cycle. The expected risk for adverse effects on RALS operations from this update is low. The update appears to change four files on Windows 2003 systems, three on Windows XP systems, and one on Windows 2000 systems.

MS06-047 � Critical

Vulnerability in Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications Could Allow Remote Code Execution (921645)

This affects only Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications, Microsoft Office 2000, Microsoft Project 2000, Microsoft Access 2000, Microsoft Office XP, Microsoft Project 2002, Microsoft Visio 2002 and Microsoft Works Suites. These products are not provided with any RALS product configuration.
Recommendation is no action needed for this update since the affected software is not provided with any RALS installations.

MS06-048 � Critical

Vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office Could Allow Remote Code Execution (922968)

This affects only Microsoft Office 2000, 2003, 2004 and Office XP. These products are not provided with any RALS product configuration.

Recommendation is no action needed for this update since the affectedsoftware is not provided with any RALS installations

MS06-049 � Important

Vulnerability in Windows Kernel Could Result in Elevation of Privilege (920958)

This update resolves a newly discovered, privately reported vulnerability in Microsoft�s Windows Kernel.

This affects Windows 2000 SP4, systems only.

This update replaces the update that is included with Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-055.

An attacker must have valid logon credentials and be able to log on locally to exploit this vulnerability. The vulnerability could not be exploited remotely or by anonymous users.

MS06-050 � Important

Vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows Hyperlink Object Library Could Allow Remote Code Execution (920670)

This update resolves two newly discovered vulnerabilities in the Windows Hyperlink Object Library.

This affects Windows 2000 SP4, Windows 2003 SP1 and Windows XP SP2 systems.

This update replaces the update that is included with Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-015.

For an attack to be successful an attacker must persuade a user to click a link in e-mail message or open an Office file and click a link within that file. The vulnerability could not be exploited automatically through e-mail. User interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability.

Recommend this update be included with the next regular RALS product test and release cycle. The expected risk for adverse effects on RALS operations from this update is low. The update appears to change four files on Windows 2003 systems, three on Windows XP systems, and one on Windows 2000 systems.

MS06-051 � Critical

Vulnerability in Windows Kernel Could Result in Remote Code Execution (917422)

This update resolves two newly discovered, privately reported vulnerabilities in Windows Kernel.

This affects Windows 2000 SP4, Windows 2003 SP1 and Windows XP SP2 systems.

For an attacker to exploit the User Profile Elevation vulnerability they must have valid logon credentials and be able to log on locally. The vulnerability could not be exploited remotely or by anonymous users.

For the Unhandled Exception vulnerability, an attacker would have to host a Web site that contains a Web page that is used to exploit this vulnerability. An attacker would have no way to force users to visit a specially crafted Web site. Typical RALS systems do have IE installed and require its use for the web based system components of RALS. This vulnerability cannot be exploited without user interaction. The user cannot be forced to visit the malicious web page and the intended use for the RALS systems does not support users using the RALS systems for non-RALS related "web-surfing" activities.

Recommend this update be included with the next regular RALS product test and release cycle. The expected risk for adverse effects on RALS operations from this update is low. The update appears to change six files on Windows 2003 systems, three on Windows XP systems, and three on Windows 2000 systems.

MS Patches Critical to RALS Functionality If it is determined that the security vulnerability as described in a Microsoft bulletin is critical to the RALS functionality, MAS will notify customers via a broadcast email from SecurityUpdates@rals.com and by notice on the MAS website http://www.rals.com.

Medical Automation Systems reviews all Microsoft security patches when they are released. No problems with the RALS systems have been found by our internal testing or reported by customers following the application of these security updates. The application of these updates to the standard RALS system configuration has been approved. Microsoft rates some of these as 'critical' but the vulnerabilities may in fact pose no risk to the RALS system if customers adhere to the intended use of RALS.

MS Patches NOT Critical to RALS Functionality If MAS determines that the vulnerability as described in a Microsoft bulletin should not adversely affect the RALS functionality when the system is used as intended, the security patch will be tested and included in the next routine product version release. Should the user apply the patches, MAS cannot guarantee or warrant its operation or impact on the RALS system. In this situation there will be no routine customer notification.

MS Patches Critical to RALS Functionality If it is determined that the security vulnerability as described in a Microsoft bulletin is critical to the RALS functionality, MAS will notify customers via a broadcast email from SecurityUpdates@rals.com and by notice on the MAS website http://www.rals.com .

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