Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-052

Executive Summary:

This update resolves a newly-discovered public vulnerability and other privately-reported variations of the same vulnerability. The Microsoft DDS Library Shape Control (Msdds.dll) and other COM objects could, when instantiated in Internet Explorer, allow an attacker to take complete control of an affected system. Because these COM objects were not designed to be instantiated in Internet Explorer, this update sets the kill bit for the affected Class Identifiers (CLSID) in these COM objects. The vulnerability is documented in the “Vulnerability Details” section of this bulletin.

If a user is logged on with administrative user rights, an attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of an affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights.

We recommend that customers apply the update immediately.

Severity Ratings and Vulnerability Identifiers:

This assessment is based on the types of systems that are affected by the vulnerability, their typical deployment patterns, and the effect that exploiting the vulnerability would have on them.

Note The severity ratings for non-x86 operating system versions map to the x86 operating systems versions as follows:

What updates does this release replace?
This security update replaces several prior security updates. The two most recent security bulletin IDs and affected operating systems are listed in the following table.

What are the known issues that customers may experience when they install this security update?
Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 896688 documents the currently known issues that customers may experience when they install this security update. The article also documents recommended solutions for these issues. For more information, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 896688.

I have received a hotfix from Microsoft or my support provider since the release of MS04-004. Is that hotfix included in this security update?
Yes. When you install the security update that is intended for systems that are running Internet Explorer 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, the installer checks to see if one or more of the files that are being updated on your system have previously been updated by a Microsoft hotfix. However, the installer only detects hotfixes that were released since Microsoft Security Bulletin MS04-038 and Internet Explorer Update Rollup 873377 or Internet Explorer Update Rollup 889669.

See Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 896727 for additional information if you have to apply a hotfix that was released before Microsoft Security Bulletin MS04-038 on a system that has the MS05-052 update installed.

For Internet Explorer 6 for Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2, Windows Server 2003, and Windows 64-Bit Edition Version 2003 (Itanium), this security update contains hotfixes that were included with MS04-025 or later Internet Explorer security updates, as well as fixes for all the security issues that are addressed in this update. However, the hotfix versions of the files that are included in this security update are only installed if you have previously installed an Internet Explorer hotfix to update any of the files that are listed in the “Security Update Information” section of this bulletin.

For Internet Explorer 5.01, Internet Explorer 5.5 SP2, and Internet Explorer 6 for Windows XP, the MS05-052 security updates contain hotfixes that were included after MS04-004 up to and including the cumulative updates in MS05-052. The hotfix versions of the files that are included in this security update are installed regardless of whether you have previously installed an Internet Explorer hotfix to update any of the files that are listed in the “Security Update Information” section of this bulletin.

Does this update contain any security-related changes to functionality?
Yes. Besides the changes that are listed in the “Vulnerability Details” section of this bulletin and in addition to changes introduced in previous Internet Explorer security bulletins, this update introduces the following defense in depth improvements:

Does this update contain any other changes to functionality?
Yes. This update also includes non-security-related changes that were introduced in previous Internet Explorer security bulletins.

How does the extended support for Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, and Windows Millennium Edition affect the release of security updates for these operating systems?
Microsoft will only release security updates for critical security issues. Non-critical security issues are not offered during this support period. For more information about the Microsoft Support Lifecycle policies for these operating systems, visit the following Web site.

For more information about severity ratings, visit the following Web site.

Are Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, or Windows Millennium Edition critically affected by one or more of the vulnerabilities that are addressed in this security bulletin?
Yes. Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, and Windows Millennium Edition are critically affected by the vulnerabilities that are addressed in this security bulletin. Critical security updates for these platforms are available, are provided as part of this security bulletin, and can be downloaded only from the Microsoft Update Web site or from the Windows Update Web site. For more information about severity ratings, visit the following Web site.

Note Updates for localized versions of Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition that are not supported by Windows Update are available for download at the following download locations:

Extended security update support for Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Service Pack 6a and Windows 2000 Service Pack 2 ended on June 30, 2004. Extended security update support for Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Service Pack 6a ended on December 31, 2004. Extended security update support for Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 ended on June 30, 2005. I’m still using one of these operating systems, what should I do?
Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Service Pack 6a, Windows NT Server 4.0 Service Pack 6a, Windows 2000 Service Pack 2, and Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 have reached the end of their life cycles. It should be a priority for customers who have these operating system versions to migrate to supported versions to prevent potential exposure to vulnerabilities. For more information about the Windows Product Lifecycle, visit the following Microsoft Support Lifecycle Web site. For more information about the extended security update support period for these operating system versions, visit the Microsoft Product Support Services Web site.

Customers who require additional support for Windows NT 4.0 SP6a must contact their Microsoft account team representative, their Technical Account Manager, or the appropriate Microsoft partner representative for custom support options. Customers without an Alliance, Premier, or Authorized Contract can contact their local Microsoft sales office. For contact information, visit the Microsoft Worldwide Information Web site, select the country, and then click Go to see a list of telephone numbers. When you call, ask to speak with the local Premier Support sales manager.

For more information, see the Windows Operating System Product Support Lifecycle FAQ.

Security update support for Microsoft Windows XP 64-Bit Edition Service Pack 1 (Itanium) and Microsoft Windows XP 64-Bit Edition Version 2003 (Itanium) ended on June 30, 2005. I’m still using one of these operating systems, what should I do?
With the release of Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Microsoft Windows XP 64-Bit Edition Service Pack 1 (Itanium) and Microsoft Windows XP 64-Bit Edition Version 2003 (Itanium) will no longer receive security update support. It should be a priority for customers who have these operating system versions to migrate to supported versions to prevent potential exposure to vulnerabilities. Microsoft will continue to fully support Windows Server 2003 for Itanium-based systems, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, and Windows Server 2003 x64 Editions for 64-bit computing requirements. Microsoft continues to license and support Windows Server 2003 Enterprise and Datacenter editions for Itanium-based systems, and the 64-bit version of SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition. In the future, we will expand Itanium support to Visual Studio 2005, .NET Framework 2005, and SQL Server 2005.

Customers who require additional assistance about this issue must contact their Microsoft account team representative, their Technical Account Manager, or the appropriate Microsoft partner representative for information about the available migration options. Customers without an Alliance, Premier, or Authorized Contract can contact their local Microsoft sales office. For contact information, visit the Microsoft Worldwide Information Web site, select the country, and then click Go to see a list of telephone numbers. When you call, ask to speak with the local Premier Support sales manager.

Can I use the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) 1.2.1 to determine whether this update is required?
Yes. MBSA 1.2.1 will determine whether this update is required. For more information about MBSA, visit the MBSA Web site.

Can I use the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) 2.0 to determine whether this update is required?
Yes. MBSA 2.0 will determine whether this update is required. MBSA 2.0 can detect security updates for products that Microsoft Update supports. For more information about MBSA, visit the MBSA Web site.

Can I use Systems Management Server (SMS) to determine whether this update is required?
Yes. SMS can help detect and deploy this security update. For information about SMS, visit the SMS Web site.

Note This release includes a package for Internet Explorer 6 Service Pack 1 designed for Windows 2000 and Windows XP Service Pack 1. This package uses the Update.exe installation technology that is discussed in Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 262841 If you are still managing Windows NT 4.0 systems in your enterprise by using SMS, a software updates scan will show that this update as applicable on Windows NT 4.0 systems. However, these packages are designed to only enable installation on the supported operating systems that are mentioned in the “Affected Software” section of this bulletin. For more information, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 907416 and the “Extended security update support for Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Workstation Service Pack 6a and Windows 2000 Service Pack 2 ended on June 30, 2004. Extended security update support for Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Server Service Pack 6a ended on December 31, 2004. I’m still using one of these operating systems, what should I do?” question in the FAQ section of this bulletin.

The Security Update Inventory Tool can be used by SMS for detecting security updates that are offered by Windows Update, that are supported by Software Update Services, and other security updates that are supported by MBSA 1.2.1. For more information about the Security Update Inventory Tool, see the following Microsoft Web site. For more information about the limitations of the Security Update Inventory Tool, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 306460.

The SMS 2003 Inventory Tool for Microsoft Updates can be used by SMS for detecting security updates that are offered by Microsoft Update and that are supported by Windows Server Update Services. For more information about the SMS 2003 Inventory Tool for Microsoft Updates, see the following Microsoft Web site.

For more information about SMS, visit the SMS Web site.

Affected Software:

For information about the specific security update for your affected software, click the appropriate link: