Microsoft Security Bulletin MS07-042 - Critical

Vulnerability in Microsoft XML Core Services Could Allow Remote Code Execution (936227)

Published: August 14, 2007 | Updated: January 9, 2008

Version: 3.0

General Information

Executive Summary

This critical security update resolves a privately reported vulnerability. This vulnerability could allow remote code execution if a user viewed a specially crafted Web page using Internet Explorer. The vulnerability could be exploited through attacks on Microsoft XML Core Services. 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.

This is a critical security update for all supported editions of Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Microsoft Office 2003, and 2007 Microsoft Office System. For more information, see the subsection, Affected and Non-Affected Software, in this section.

This security update addresses the vulnerability by modifying the way that the Microsoft XML Core Services performs parameter validation. For more information about the vulnerabilities, see the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) subsection for the specific vulnerability entry under the next section, Vulnerability Information.

Recommendation. Microsoft recommends that customers apply the update immediately.

Known Issues. Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 936227 documents the currently known issues that customers may experience when they install this security update. The article also documents recommended solutions for these issues.

Affected and Non-Affected Software

The software listed here has been tested to determine which versions or editions are affected. Other versions or editions are either past their support life cycle or are not affected. To determine the support life cycle for your software version or edition, visit Microsoft Support Lifecycle.

Affected Software

SoftwareComponentMaximum Security ImpactAggregate Severity RatingBulletins Replaced By This Update
Windows 2000    

Windows 2000 Service Pack 4

Microsoft XML Core Services 3.0
(KB936021)

Remote Code Execution

Critical

MS06-061

Windows 2000 Service Pack 4

Microsoft XML Core Services 4.0
(KB936181)

Remote Code Execution

Critical

MS06-071

Windows 2000 Service Pack 4

Microsoft XML Core Services 6.0
(KB933579)

Remote Code Execution

Critical

MS06-071

Windows XP    

Windows XP Service Pack 2

Microsoft XML Core Services 3.0
(KB936021)

Remote Code Execution

Critical

MS06-061

Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2

Microsoft XML Core Services 3.0
(KB936021)

Remote Code Execution

Critical

MS06-061

Windows XP Service Pack 2

Microsoft XML Core Services 4.0
(KB936181)

Remote Code Execution

Critical

MS06-071

Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2

Microsoft XML Core Services 4.0
(KB936181)

Remote Code Execution

Critical

MS06-071

Windows XP Service Pack 2

Microsoft XML Core Services 6.0
(KB933579)

Remote Code Execution

Critical

MS06-071

Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2

Microsoft XML Core Services 6.0
(KB933579)

Remote Code Execution

Critical

MS06-071

Windows Server 2003    

Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1

Microsoft XML Core Services 3.0
(KB936021)

Remote Code Execution

Moderate

MS06-061

Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2

Microsoft XML Core Services 3.0
(KB936021)

Remote Code Execution

Moderate

None

Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition

Microsoft XML Core Services 3.0
(KB936021)

Remote Code Execution

Moderate

MS06-061

Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2

Microsoft XML Core Services 3.0
(KB936021)

Remote Code Execution

Moderate

None

Windows Server 2003 with SP1 for Itanium-based Systems

Microsoft XML Core Services 3.0
(KB936021)

Remote Code Execution

Moderate

MS06-061

Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems

Microsoft XML Core Services 3.0
(KB936021)

Remote Code Execution

Moderate

None

Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2

Microsoft XML Core Services 4.0
(KB936181)

Remote Code Execution

Moderate

MS06-071

Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2

Microsoft XML Core Services 4.0
(KB936181)

Remote Code Execution

Moderate

MS06-071

Windows Server 2003 with SP1 for Itanium-based Systems and Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems

Microsoft XML Core Services 4.0
(KB936181)

Remote Code Execution

Moderate

MS06-071

Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2

Microsoft XML Core Services 6.0
(KB933579)

Remote Code Execution

Moderate

MS06-071

Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2

Microsoft XML Core Services 6.0
(KB933579)

Remote Code Execution

Moderate

MS06-071

Windows Server 2003 with SP1 for Itanium-based Systems and Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems

Microsoft XML Core Services 6.0
(KB933579)

Remote Code Execution

Moderate

MS06-071

Windows Vista     

Windows Vista

Microsoft XML Core Services 3.0
(KB936021)

Remote Code Execution

Critical

MS06-061

Windows Vista x64 Edition

Microsoft XML Core Services 3.0
(KB936021)

Remote Code Execution

Critical

MS06-061

Windows Vista

Microsoft XML Core Services 4.0
(KB936181)

Remote Code Execution

Critical

MS06-071

Windows Vista x64 Edition

Microsoft XML Core Services 4.0
(KB936181)

Remote Code Execution

Critical

MS06-071

Windows Vista

Microsoft XML Core Services 6.0
(KB933579)

Remote Code Execution

Critical

MS06-071

Windows Vista x64 Edition

Microsoft XML Core Services 6.0
(KB933579)

Remote Code Execution

Critical

MS06-071

Office Software    

Microsoft Office 2003 Service Pack 2

Microsoft XML Core Services 5.0
(KB936048)

Remote Code Execution

Critical

MS06-061

Microsoft Word Viewer 2003

Microsoft XML Core Services 5.0
(KB936048)

Remote Code Execution

Critical

None

2007 Microsoft Office System

Microsoft XML Core Services 5.0
(KB936960)

Remote Code Execution

Critical

None

Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats

Microsoft XML Core Services 5.0
(KB936960)

Remote Code Execution

Critical

None

Microsoft Expression Web

Microsoft XML Core Services 5.0
(KB936960)

Remote Code Execution

Critical

None

Microsoft Office SharePoint Server

Microsoft XML Core Services 5.0
(KB936056)

Remote Code Execution

Critical

None

Microsoft Office Groove Server 2007

Microsoft XML Core Services 5.0
(KB936056)

Remote Code Execution

Critical

None

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Related to This Security Update

Why was this Bulletin revised on January 9, 2008? 
Microsoft added Microsoft Word Viewer 2003 to the Affected Software table. The same update for Microsoft Office 2003 Service Pack 2 applies to Microsoft Word Viewer 2003.

In addition, in a previous security update for Microsoft XML Core Services, MS06-061, a kill bit was set for Microsoft XML Parser 2.6 removing support in Microsoft Internet Explorer. The August 2007 security update for Microsoft XML Core Services reissues the kill bits in Windows 2000 but not in Windows XP and Windows 2003. Also, the October 2007 cumulative security update for Internet Explorer, MS07-057, set the kill bit for Microsoft XML Parser 2.6 as a defense in depth measure. When applicable, future cumulative security updates for Internet Explorer will also contain the MSXML 2.6 kill bits.

Why was this Bulletin revised on September 27, 2007? 
This Bulletin was revised adding both Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats and Microsoft Expression Web as affected products. Customers with Microsoft Office 2003 Service Pack 2 who have installed Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats, or customers who have installed Microsoft Expression Web should apply the update to remain secure. Microsoft Update, Office Update, the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA), the Office Detection Tool, Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS), and Extended Security Update Inventory Tool already correctly offer KB936960 for the 2007 Microsoft Office System to customers that have the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats or Microsoft Expression Web installed.

In addition to adding the two affected products, a known issue has been identified in the Microsoft XML Core Services 4.0 update that can cause reliability issues for applications that install Microsoft XML Core Services 4.0 on Windows Vista. Microsoft XML Core Services 4.0 is not included in a default installation of Windows Vista. Customers can resolve this issue by applying the download available in Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 941833.

What version of Microsoft XML Core Services is installed on my system? 
Microsoft XML Core Services is included in additional non-operating system software from Microsoft and is also available as separate downloads. For information about the different Microsoft XML Core Services versions that are available and the products that install them, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 269238.

Note Depending on what versions of Microsoft XML Core Services you have installed on your system, you may be offered more than one security update from this security bulletin.

2007 Microsoft Office System installs Microsoft XML Core Services 5.0 and Microsoft XML Core Services 6.0, but the update for 2007 Microsoft Office System only contains Microsoft XML Core Services 5.0. Am I still vulnerable if I only apply the 2007 Microsoft Office System update? 
Customers should apply the Microsoft XML Core Services 6.0 system update when Microsoft XML Core Services 6.0 is installed on their system. Customers who have already applied the Microsoft XML Core Services 6.0 update and then later install 2007 Microsoft Office System will not need to reapply the Microsoft XML Core Services 6.0 update to remain protected.

I am using an older version of the software discussed in this security bulletin. What should I do? 
The affected software listed in this bulletin has been tested to determine which versions are affected. Other versions are past their support life cycle. To determine the support life cycle for your product and version, visit Microsoft Support Lifecycle.

It should be a priority for customers who have older versions of the software 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. 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 custom support for older software 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.

Vulnerability Information

Severity Ratings and Vulnerability Identifiers

Vulnerability Severity Rating and Maximum Security Impact by Affected Software
Affected SoftwareMicrosoft XML Core Services Vulnerability – CVE-2007-2223Aggregate Severity Rating
Windows 2000  

Microsoft XML Core Services 3.0 on Windows 2000 Service Pack 4

Critical

Remote Code Execution

Critical

Microsoft XML Core Services 4.0 when installed on Windows 2000 Service Pack 4

Critical

Remote Code Execution

Critical

Microsoft XML Core Services 6.0 when installed on Windows 2000 Service Pack 4

Critical

Remote Code Execution

Critical

Windows XP  

Microsoft XML Core Services 3.0 on Windows XP Service Pack 2

Critical

Remote Code Execution

Critical

Microsoft XML Core Services 3.0 on Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2

Critical

Remote Code Execution

Critical

Microsoft XML Core Services 4.0 when installed on Windows XP Service Pack 2

Critical

Remote Code Execution

Critical

Microsoft XML Core Services 4.0 when installed on Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2

Critical

Remote Code Execution

Critical

Microsoft XML Core Services 6.0 when installed on Windows XP Service Pack 2

Critical

Remote Code Execution

Critical

Microsoft XML Core Services 6.0 when installed on Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2

Critical

Remote Code Execution

Critical

Windows Server 2003  

Microsoft XML Core Services 3.0 on Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2

Moderate

Remote Code Execution

Moderate

Microsoft XML Core Services 3.0 on Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2

Moderate

Remote Code Execution

Moderate

Microsoft XML Core Services 3.0 on Windows Server 2003 with SP1 for Itanium-based Systems and Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems

Moderate

Remote Code Execution

Moderate

Microsoft XML Core Services 4.0 when installed on Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2

Moderate

Remote Code Execution

Moderate

Microsoft XML Core Services 4.0 when installed on Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2

Moderate

Remote Code Execution

Moderate

Microsoft XML Core Services 4.0 when installed on Windows Server 2003 with SP1 for Itanium-based Systems and Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems

Moderate

Remote Code Execution

Moderate

Microsoft XML Core Services 6.0 when installed on Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2

Moderate

Remote Code Execution

Moderate

Microsoft XML Core Services 6.0 when installed on Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2

Moderate

Remote Code Execution

Moderate

Microsoft XML Core Services 6.0 when installed on Windows Server 2003 with SP1 for Itanium-based Systems and Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems

Moderate

Remote Code Execution

Moderate

Windows Vista  

Microsoft XML Core Services 3.0 on Windows Vista

Critical

Remote Code Execution

Critical

Microsoft XML Core Services 3.0 on Windows Vista x64 Edition

Critical

Remote Code Execution

Critical

Microsoft XML Core Services 4.0 when installed on Windows Vista

Critical

Remote Code Execution

Critical

Microsoft XML Core Services 4.0 when installed on Windows Vista x64 Edition

Critical

Remote Code Execution

Critical

Microsoft XML Core Services 6.0 on Windows Vista

Critical

Remote Code Execution

Critical

Microsoft XML Core Services 6.0 on Windows Vista x64 Edition

Critical

Remote Code Execution

Critical

Office Suite  

Office 2003 Service Pack 2 with Microsoft XML Core Services 5.0

Critical

Remote Code Execution

Critical

2007 Office System with Microsoft XML Core Services 5.0

Critical

Remote Code Execution

Critical

2007 Office System with Microsoft XML Core Services 6.0

Critical

Remote Code Execution

Critical

Office SharePoint Server with Microsoft XML Core Services 5.0

Critical

Remote Code Execution

Critical

Office Groove Server 2007 with Microsoft XML Core Services 5.0

Critical

Remote Code Execution

Critical

Microsoft XML Core Services Vulnerability - CVE-2007-2223

A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Microsoft XML Core Services that could allow an attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability to make changes to the system with the permissions of the logged-on user. If a user is logged on with administrative user rights, an attacker could take complete control of the 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.

To view this vulnerability as a standard entry in the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures list, see CVE-2007-2223.

Mitigating Factors for Microsoft XML Core Services Vulnerability - CVE-2007-2223

Mitigation refers to a setting, common configuration, or general best-practice, existing in a default state, that could reduce the severity of exploitation of a vulnerability. The following mitigating factors may be helpful in your situation:

In 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, Web sites that accept or host user-provided content, or compromised Web sites and advertisement servers could contain specially crafted content that could exploit this vulnerability. An attacker would have to persuade users to visit the Web site, typically by getting them to click a link in an e-mail message or Instant Messenger message that takes users to the attacker's Web site.

An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could gain the same user rights as the local user. 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.

By default, all supported versions of Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Outlook Express open HTML e-mail messages in the Restricted sites zone. The Restricted sites zone helps reduce the number of successful attacks that exploit this vulnerability by preventing Active Scripting and ActiveX controls from being used when reading HTML e-mail. However, if a user clicks on a link within an e-mail, they could still be vulnerable to this issue through the Web-based attack scenario.

By default, Internet Explorer on Windows Server 2003 runs in a restricted mode that is known as Enhanced Security Configuration. This mode sets the security level for the Internet zone to High. This is a mitigating factor for Web sites that have not been added to Internet Explorer Trusted sites zone. See the FAQ subsection of this vulnerability section for more information about Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration.

Workarounds for Microsoft XML Core Services Vulnerability - CVE-2007-2223

Workaround refers to a setting or configuration change that does not correct the underlying vulnerability but would help block known attack vectors before you apply the update. Microsoft has tested the following workarounds and states in the discussion whether a workaround reduces functionality:

Configure Internet Explorer to prompt before running Active Scripting or to disable Active Scripting in the Internet and Local intranet security zone

You can help protect against this vulnerability by changing your settings to prompt before running Active Scripting or to disable Active Scripting in the Internet and Local intranet security zone. To do this, follow these steps:

1.

In Internet Explorer, click Internet Options on the Tools menu.

2.

Click the Security tab.

3.

Click Internet, and then click Custom Level.

4.

Under Settings, in the Scripting section, under Active Scripting, click Prompt or Disable, and then click OK.

5.

Click Local intranet, and then click Custom Level.

6.

Under Settings, in the Scripting section, under Active Scripting, click Prompt or Disable, and then click OK.

7.

Click OK two times to return to Internet Explorer.

Impact of Workaround: Disabling Active Scripting in the Internet and Local intranet security zones may cause some Web sites to work incorrectly. If you have difficulty using a Web site after you change this setting, and you are sure the site is safe to use, you can add that site to your list of trusted sites. This will allow the site to work correctly..

Add sites that you trust to the Internet Explorer Trusted sites zone.

After you set Internet Explorer to require a prompt before it runs ActiveX controls and Active Scripting in the Internet zone and in the Local intranet zone, you can add sites that you trust to the Internet Explorer Trusted sites zone. This will allow you to continue to use trusted Web sites exactly as you do today, while helping to protect you from this attack on untrusted sites. We recommend that you add only sites that you trust to the Trusted sites zone.

To do this, follow these steps:

1.

In Internet Explorer, click Tools, click Internet Options, and then click the Security tab.

2.

In the Select a Web content zone to specify its current security settings box, click Trusted Sites, and then click Sites.

3.

If you want to add sites that do not require an encrypted channel, click to clear the Require server verification (https:) for all sites in this zone check box.

4.

In the Add this Web site to the zone box, type the URL of a site that you trust, and then click Add.

5.

Repeat these steps for each site that you want to add to the zone.

6.

Click OK two times to accept the changes and return to Internet Explorer.

Note Add any sites that you trust not to take malicious action on your system. Two in particular that you may want to add are "*.windowsupdate.microsoft.com" and “*.update.microsoft.com” (without the quotation marks). These are the sites that will host the update, and it requires an ActiveX Control to install the update.

Set Internet and Local intranet security zone settings to “High” to prompt before running ActiveX Controls and Active Scripting in these zones

You can help protect against this vulnerability by changing your settings for the Internet security zone to prompt before running ActiveX controls. You can do this by setting your browser security to High.

To raise the browsing security level in Microsoft Internet Explorer, follow these steps:

1.

On the Internet Explorer Tools menu, click Internet Options.

2.

In the Internet Options dialog box, click the Security tab, and then click the Internet icon.

3.

Under Security level for this zone, move the slider to High. This sets the security level for all Web sites you visit to High.

Note If no slider is visible, click Default Level, and then move the slider to High.

Note Setting the level to High may cause some Web sites to work incorrectly. If you have difficulty using a Web site after you change this setting, and you are sure the site is safe to use, you can add that site to your list of trusted sites. This will allow the site to work correctly even with the security setting set to High.

Impact of Workaround: There are side effects to prompting before running ActiveX controls. Many Web sites that are on the Internet or on an intranet use ActiveX to provide additional functionality. For example, an online e-commerce site or banking site may use ActiveX controls to provide menus, ordering forms, or even account statements. Prompting before running ActiveX controls is a global setting that affects all Internet and intranet sites. You will be prompted frequently when you enable this workaround. For each prompt, if you feel you trust the site that you are visiting, click Yes to run ActiveX controls. If you do not want to be prompted for all these sites, use the steps outlined in "Add sites that you trust to the Internet Explorer Trusted sites zone”.

FAQ for Microsoft XML Core Services Vulnerability - CVE-2007-2223:

What is the scope of the vulnerability? 
If successfully exploited, this remote code execution vulnerability could allow the attacker to run arbitrary code as the logged on user.

What causes the vulnerability? 
Specially crafted script requests may cause memory corruption when using Microsoft XML Core Services.

What is Microsoft XML Core Services (MSXML)? 
Microsoft XML Core Services (MSXML) allows customers who use JScript, Visual Basic Scripting Edition (VBScript), and Microsoft Visual Studio 6.0 todevelop XML-based applications that provide interoperability with other applications that adhere to the XML 1.0 standard. See the MSDN Web site for more information regarding MSXML.

What might an attacker use the vulnerability to do? 
An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could make changes to the system with the permissions of the logged-on user. If a user is logged on with administrative user rights, an attacker could take complete control of the 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.

How could an attacker exploit the vulnerability? 
An attacker could host a specially crafted Web site that is designed to exploit this vulnerability through Internet Explorer and then convince a user to view the Web site. This can also include Web sites that accept user-provided content or advertisements, Web sites that host user-provided content or advertisements, and compromised Web sites. These Web sites 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. Instead, an attacker would have to convince users to visit the Web site, typically by getting them to click a link in an e-mail message or in an Instant Messenger request that takes users to the attacker's Web site. It could also be possible to display specially crafted Web content by using banner advertisements or by using other methods to deliver Web content to affected systems.

What systems are primarily at risk from the vulnerability? 
This vulnerability requires that a user is logged on and visits a Web site for any malicious action to occur. Therefore, any systems where Internet Explorer is used frequently, such as workstations or terminal servers, are at the most risk from this vulnerability.

I am running Internet Explorer on Windows Server 2003. Does this mitigate this vulnerability? 
Yes. By default, Internet Explorer for Windows Server 2003 runs in a restricted mode that is known as Enhanced Security Configuration. Enhanced Security Configuration is a group of preconfigured settings in Internet Explorer that can reduce the likelihood of a user or administrator downloading and running malicious Web content on a server. This is a mitigating factor for Web sites that you have not added to the Internet Explorer Trusted sites zone. See also Managing Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration.

What does the update do? 
The update removes the vulnerability by validating the memory request within Microsoft XML Core Services.

When this security bulletin was issued, had this vulnerability been publicly disclosed? 
No. Microsoft received information about this vulnerability through responsible disclosure. Microsoft had not received any information to indicate that this vulnerability had been publicly disclosed when this security bulletin was originally issued.

When this security bulletin was issued, had Microsoft received any reports that this vulnerability was being exploited? 
No. Microsoft had not received any information to indicate that this vulnerability had been publicly used to attack customers and had not seen any examples of proof of concept code published when this security bulletin was originally issued.

Update Information

Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance

Manage the software and security updates you need to deploy to the servers, desktop, and mobile systems in your organization. For more information see the TechNet Update Management Center. The Microsoft TechNet Security Web site provides additional information about security in Microsoft products.

Security updates are available from Microsoft Update, Windows Update, and Office Update. Security updates are also available at the Microsoft Download Center. You can find them most easily by doing a keyword search for "security_patch." Finally, security updates can be downloaded from the Windows Update Catalog. For more information about the Windows Update Catalog, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 323166.

Detection and Deployment Guidance

Microsoft has provided detection and deployment guidance for this month’s security updates. This guidance will also help IT professionals understand how they can use various tools to help deploy the security update, such as Windows Update, Microsoft Update, Office Update, the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA), the Office Detection Tool, Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS), the Extended Security Update Inventory Tool, and the Enterprise Update Scan Tool (EST). For more information, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 910723.

Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer

Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) allows administrators to scan local and remote systems for missing security updates as well as common security misconfigurations. For more information about MBSA visit Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer Web site.

The following table provides the MBSA detection summary for this security update.

SoftwareMBSA 1.2.1MBSA 2.0.1

Windows 2000 Service Pack 4

Yes

Yes

Windows XP Service Pack 2

Yes

Yes

Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2

No

Yes

Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2

Yes

Yes

Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2

No

Yes

Windows Server 2003 with SP1 for Itanium-based Systems and Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems

No

Yes

Windows Vista

No

See Note for Windows Vista below

Windows Vista x64 Edition

No

See Note for Windows Vista below

Office 2003 Service Pack 2

Yes[1]

Yes

2007 Office system

Yes[1]

Yes

Office SharePoint Server 2007

Yes[1]

Yes

Office Groove Server 2007

Yes[1]

Yes

Microsoft XML Core Services 4.0

Yes

Yes

Microsoft XML Core Services 6.0

Yes

Yes

[1]MBSA 1.2.1 supports detection of this security update only as a local scan. MBSA 1.2.1 uses an integrated version of the Office Detection Tool (ODT) which does not support remote scans of this security update. For more information about MBSA, visit the MBSA Web site.

Note for Windows Vista Microsoft does not support installing MBSA 2.0.1 on systems that run Windows Vista, but you may install MBSA 2.0.1 on a supported operating system and then scan the Windows Vista-based system remotely. For additional information about MBSA support for Windows Vista, visit the MBSA Web site. See also Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 931943: Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) support for Windows Vista.

For more information about MBSA, visit the MBSA Web site. For more information about the software that Microsoft Update and MBSA 2.0 currently do not detect, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 895660.

Windows Server Update Services

By using Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), administrators can deploy the latest critical updates and security updates for Windows 2000 operating systems and later, Office XP and later, Exchange Server 2003, and SQL Server 2000 to Windows 2000 and later operating systems. For more information about how to deploy this security update using Windows Server Update Services, visit the Windows Server Update Services Web site.

Systems Management Server

The following table provides the SMS detection and deployment summary for this security update.

SoftwareSMS 2.0SMS 2003

Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4

Yes

Yes

Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2

Yes

Yes

Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2

No

Yes

Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2

Yes

Yes

Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2

No

Yes

Windows Server 2003 with SP1 for Itanium-based Systems and Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems

No

Yes

Windows Vista

No

See Note for Windows Vista below

Windows Vista x64 Edition

No

See Note for Windows Vista below

Office 2003 Service Pack 2

Yes

Yes

2007 Office System

Yes

Yes

Office SharePoint Server

Yes

Yes

Office Groove Server 2007

Yes

Yes

Microsoft XML Core Services 4.0

Yes

Yes

Microsoft XML Core Services 6.0

Yes

Yes

For SMS 2.0, the SMS SUS Feature Pack, which includes the Security Update Inventory Tool (SUIT), can be used by SMS to detect security updates. SMS SUIT uses the MBSA 1.2.1 engine for detection. For more information about SUIT, visit the following Microsoft Web site. For more information about the limitations of SUIT, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 306460. The SMS SUS Feature Pack also includes the Microsoft Office Inventory Tool to detect required updates for Microsoft Office applications.

For SMS 2003, the SMS 2003 Inventory Tool for Microsoft Updates (ITMU) can be used by SMS to detect security updates that are offered by Microsoft Update and that are supported by Windows Server Update Services. For more information about the SMS 2003 ITMU, visit the following Microsoft Web site. SMS 2003 can also use the Microsoft Office Inventory Tool to detect required updates for Microsoft Office applications.

Note for Windows VistaMicrosoft Systems Management Server 2003 with Service Pack 3 includes support for Windows Vista manageability.

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

Note If you have used an Administrative Installation Point (AIP) for deploying Office 2000, Office XP or Office 2003, you may not be able to deploy the update using SMS if you have updated the AIP from the original baseline. For more information, see the Office Administrative Installation Point heading in this section.

Office Administrative Installation Point

If you installed your application from a server location, the server administrator must update the server location with the administrative update and deploy that update to your system.

For supported versions of Microsoft Office 2003, see Creating an Administrative Installation Point. If you have an Administrative Installation Point with a non-supported version of Microsoft Office 2003, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 902349.

Note. If you plan to manage software updates centrally from an updated administrative image, you can find more information in the article Distributing Office 2003 Product Updates. For supported versions of the 2007 Microsoft Office system, see Create a network installation point for the 2007 Office system.

For supported versions of the 2007 Microsoft Office system, see Create a network installation point for the 2007 Office system.

Note. If you plan to manage security updates centrally use Windows Server Update Services. For more information about how to deploy security updates for the 2007 Microsoft Office system using Windows Server Update Services, visit the Windows Server Update Services Web site.

Security Update Deployment

Affected Software

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

Windows 2000 (all editions)

Reference Table

The following table contains the security update information for this software. You can find additional information in the subsection, Deployment Information, in this section.

Inclusion in Future Service Packs

The update for this issue may be included in a future update rollup

Deployment

 

Installing without user intervention

Windows2000-KB936021-x86-enu /quiet

Installing without restarting

Windows2000-KB936021-x86-enu /norestart

Update log file

KB936021.log

Further information

See the subsection, Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance

Restart Requirement

 

Restart required

Yes, you must restart your system after you apply this security update

Hotpatching

Not applicable

Removal Information

To remove this security update, use the Add or Remove Programs tool in Control Panel.

System administrators can also use the Spuninst.exe utility to remove this security update. The Spuninst.exe utility is located in the %Windir%\$NTUninstallKB936021$\Spuninst folder.

File Information

See the heading, File Information, below for the full file manifest

Registry Key Verification

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Updates\Windows 2000\SP5\KB936021\Filelist

File Information

The English version of this security update has the file attributes that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.

For all supported editions of Windows 2000:

File NameVersionDateTimeSize

Msxml3.dll

8.90.1101.0

07-Jun-2007

19:20

1,119,232

Note For a complete list of supported versions, see the Support Lifecycle Index. For a complete list of service packs, see Lifecycle Supported Service Packs. For more information on the support lifecycle policy, see Microsoft Support Lifecycle.

Deployment Information

Installing the Update

When you install this security update, 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.

If you have previously installed a hotfix to update one of these files, the installer copies any applicable RTMQFE, SP1QFE, or SP2QFE files to your system. Otherwise, the installer copies the RTMGDR, SP1GDR, or SP2GDR files to your system. Security updates may not contain all variations of these files. For more information about this behavior, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 824994.

For more information about the installer, visit the Microsoft TechNet Web site.

For more information about the terminology that appears in this bulletin, such as hotfix, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 824684.

This security update supports the following setup switches.

Supported Security Update Installation Switches
SwitchDescription

/help

Displays the command-line options

Setup Modes 

/passive

Unattended Setup mode. No user interaction is required, but installation status is displayed. If a restart is required at the end of Setup, a dialog box will be presented to the user with a timer warning that the system will restart in 30 seconds.

/quiet

Quiet mode. This is the same as unattended mode, but no status or error messages are displayed.

Restart Options 

/norestart

Does not restart when installation has completed

/forcerestart

Restarts the system after installation and force other applications to close at shutdown without saving open files first.

/warnrestart[:x]

Presents a dialog box with a timer warning the user that the system will restart in x seconds. (The default setting is 30 seconds.) Intended for use with the /quiet switch or the /passive switch.

/promptrestart

Display a dialog box prompting the local user to allow a restart

Special Options 

/overwriteoem

Overwrites OEM files without prompting

/nobackup

Does not back up files needed for uninstall

/forceappsclose

Forces other programs to close when the system shuts down

/log:path

Allows the redirection of installation log files

/extract[:path]

Extracts files without starting the Setup program

/ER

Enables extended error reporting

/verbose

Enables verbose logging. During installation, creates %Windir%\CabBuild.log. This log details the files that are copied. Using this switch may cause the installation to proceed more slowly.

Note You can combine these switches into one command. For backward compatibility, the security update also supports the setup switches that the earlier version of the Setup program uses. For more information about the supported installation switches, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 262841.

Removing the Update

This security update supports the following setup switches.

Supported Spuninst.exe Switches
SwitchDescription

/help

Displays the command-line options

Setup Modes 

/passive

Unattended Setup mode. No user interaction is required, but installation status is displayed. If a restart is required at the end of Setup, a dialog box will be presented to the user with a timer warning that the system will restart in 30 seconds.

/quiet

Quiet mode. This is the same as unattended mode, but no status or error messages are displayed.

Restart Options 

/norestart

Does not restart when installation has completed

/forcerestart

Restarts the system after installation and force other applications to close at shutdown without saving open files first.

/warnrestart[:x]

Presents a dialog box with a timer warning the user that the system will restart in x seconds. (The default setting is 30 seconds.) Intended for use with the /quiet switch or the /passive switch.

/promptrestart

Display a dialog box prompting the local user to allow a restart

Special Options 

/forceappsclose

Forces other programs to close when the system shuts down

/log:path

Allows the redirection of installation log files

Verifying That the Update Has Been Applied

Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer

To verify that a security update has been applied to an affected system, you may be able to use the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) tool. See the section, Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance, earlier in this bulletin for more information.

File Version Verification

Because there are several versions and editions of Microsoft Windows, the following steps may be different on your system. If they are, see your product documentation to complete these steps.

1.

Click Start, and then click Search.

2.

In the Search Results pane, click All files and folders under Search Companion.

3.

In the All or part of the file name box, type a file name from the appropriate file information table, and then click Search.

4.

In the list of files, right-click a file name from the appropriate file information table, and then click Properties.

Note Depending on the version of the operating system or programs installed, some of the files that are listed in the file information table may not be installed.

5.

On the Version tab, determine the version of the file that is installed on your system by comparing it to the version that is documented in the appropriate file information table.

Note Attributes other than the file version may change during installation. Comparing other file attributes to the information in the file information table is not a supported method of verifying that the update has been applied. Also, in certain cases, files may be renamed during installation. If the file or version information is not present, use one of the other available methods to verify update installation.

Registry Key Verification

You may also be able to verify the files that this security update has installed by reviewing the registry keys listed in the Reference Table in this section.

These registry keys may not contain a complete list of installed files. Also, these registry keys may not be created correctly when an administrator or an OEM integrates or slipstreams this security update into the Windows installation source files.

Windows XP (all editions)

Reference Table

The following table contains the security update information for this software. You can find additional information in the subsection, Deployment Information, in this section.

Inclusion in Future Service Packs

The update for this issue will be included in a future service pack or update rollup

Deployment

 

Installing without user intervention

Windows XP Service Pack 2:
WindowsXP-KB936021-x86-enu /quiet

 

Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2:
WindowsServer2003.WindowsXP-KB936021-x64-enu /quiet

Installing without restarting

Windows XP Service Pack 2:
WindowsXP-KB936021-x86-enu /norestart

 

Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2:
WindowsServer2003.WindowsXP-KB936021-x64-enu /norestart

Update log file

KB936021.log

Further information

See the subsection, Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance

Restart Requirement

 

Restart required

Yes, you must restart your system after you apply this security update

Hotpatching

Not applicable

Removal Information

To remove this security update, use the Add or Remove Programs tool in Control Panel.
System administrators can also use the Spuninst.exe utility to remove this security update. The Spuninst.exe utility is located in the %Windir%\$NTUninstallKB936021$\Spuninst folder.

File Information

See the heading, File Information, below for the full file manifest

Registry Key Verification

For all supported 32-bit editions of Windows XP:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Updates\Windows XP\SP3\KB936021\Filelist

 

For Windows XP Professional x64 Edition:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Updates\Windows XP Version 2003\SP3\KB936021\Filelist

File Information

The English version of this security update has the file attributes that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.

For all supported 32-bit editions of Windows XP:

File NameVersionDateTimeSizeFolder

Msxml3.dll

8.90.1101.0

26-Jun-2007

06:08

1,104,896

SP2GDR

Msxml3.dll

8.90.1101.0

26-Jun-2007

06:06

1,104,896

SP2QFE

For all supported versions of Windows XP Professional x64:

File NameVersionDateTimeSizeCPUFolder

Msxml3.dll

8.90.1101.0

31-May-2007

20:17

2,125,312

X64

SP1GDR

Wmsxml3.dll

8.90.1101.0

31-May-2007

20:17

1,133,056

X86

SP1GDR\wow

Msxml3.dll

8.90.1101.0

31-May-2007

20:18

2,125,312

X64

SP1QFE

Wmsxml3.dll

8.90.1101.0

31-May-2007

20:18

1,133,056

X86

SP1QFE\wow

Msxml3.dll

8.90.1101.0

31-May-2007

20:26

2,125,312

X64

SP2GDR

Wmsxml3.dll

8.90.1101.0

31-May-2007

20:26

1,119,232

X86

SP2GDR\wow

Msxml3.dll

8.90.1101.0

31-May-2007

20:17

2,125,824

X64

SP2QFE

Wmsxml3.dll

8.90.1101.0

31-May-2007

20:17

1,119,232

X86

SP2QFE\wow

Note For a complete list of supported versions, see the Support Lifecycle Index. For a complete list of service packs, see Lifecycle Supported Service Packs. For more information on the support lifecycle policy, see Microsoft Support Lifecycle.

Deployment Information

Installing the Update

When you install this security update, 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.

If you have previously installed a hotfix to update one of these files, the installer copies any applicable RTMQFE, SP1QFE, or SP2QFE files to your system. Otherwise, the installer copies the RTMGDR, SP1GDR, or SP2GDR files to your system. Security updates may not contain all variations of these files. For more information about this behavior, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 824994.

For more information about the installer, visit the Microsoft TechNet Web site.

For more information about the terminology that appears in this bulletin, such as hotfix, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 824684.

This security update supports the following setup switches.

Supported Security Update Installation Switches
SwitchDescription

/help

Displays the command-line options

Setup Modes 

/passive

Unattended Setup mode. No user interaction is required, but installation status is displayed. If a restart is required at the end of Setup, a dialog box will be presented to the user with a timer warning that the system will restart in 30 seconds.

/quiet

Quiet mode. This is the same as unattended mode, but no status or error messages are displayed.

Restart Options 

/norestart

Does not restart when installation has completed

/forcerestart

Restarts the system after installation and force other applications to close at shutdown without saving open files first.

/warnrestart[:x]

Presents a dialog box with a timer warning the user that the system will restart in x seconds. (The default setting is 30 seconds.) Intended for use with the /quiet switch or the /passive switch.

/promptrestart

Display a dialog box prompting the local user to allow a restart

Special Options 

/overwriteoem

Overwrites OEM files without prompting

/nobackup

Does not back up files needed for uninstall

/forceappsclose

Forces other programs to close when the system shuts down

/log:path

Allows the redirection of installation log files

/integrate:path

Integrates the update into the Windows source files. These files are located at the path that is specified in the switch.

/extract[:path]

Extracts files without starting the Setup program

/ER

Enables extended error reporting

/verbose

Enables verbose logging. During installation, creates %Windir%\CabBuild.log. This log details the files that are copied. Using this switch may cause the installation to proceed more slowly.

Note You can combine these switches into one command. For backward compatibility, the security update also supports the setup switches that the earlier version of the Setup program uses. For more information about the supported installation switches, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 262841.

Removing the Update

This security update supports the following setup switches.

Supported Spuninst.exe Switches
SwitchDescription

/help

Displays the command-line options

Setup Modes 

/passive

Unattended Setup mode. No user interaction is required, but installation status is displayed. If a restart is required at the end of Setup, a dialog box will be presented to the user with a timer warning that the system will restart in 30 seconds.

/quiet

Quiet mode. This is the same as unattended mode, but no status or error messages are displayed.

Restart Options 

/norestart

Does not restart when installation has completed

/forcerestart

Restarts the system after installation and force other applications to close at shutdown without saving open files first.

/warnrestart[:x]

Presents a dialog box with a timer warning the user that the system will restart in x seconds. (The default setting is 30 seconds.) Intended for use with the /quiet switch or the /passive switch.

/promptrestart

Display a dialog box prompting the local user to allow a restart

Special Options 

/forceappsclose

Forces other programs to close when the system shuts down

/log:path

Allows the redirection of installation log files

Verifying That the Update Has Been Applied

Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer

To verify that a security update has been applied to an affected system, you may be able to use the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) tool. See the section, Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance, earlier in this bulletin for more information.

File Version Verification

Because there are several versions and editions of Microsoft Windows, the following steps may be different on your system. If they are, see your product documentation to complete these steps.

1.

Click Start, and then click Search.

2.

In the Search Results pane, click All files and folders under Search Companion.

3.

In the All or part of the file name box, type a file name from the appropriate file information table, and then click Search.

4.

In the list of files, right-click a file name from the appropriate file information table, and then click Properties.

Note Depending on the version of the operating system or programs installed, some of the files that are listed in the file information table may not be installed.

5.

On the Version tab, determine the version of the file that is installed on your system by comparing it to the version that is documented in the appropriate file information table.

Note Attributes other than the file version may change during installation. Comparing other file attributes to the information in the file information table is not a supported method of verifying that the update has been applied. Also, in certain cases, files may be renamed during installation. If the file or version information is not present, use one of the other available methods to verify update installation.

Registry Key Verification

You may also be able to verify the files that this security update has installed by reviewing the registry keys listed in the Reference Table in this section.

These registry keys may not contain a complete list of installed files. Also, these registry keys may not be created correctly when an administrator or an OEM integrates or slipstreams this security update into the Windows installation source files.

Windows Server 2003 (all editions)

Reference Table

The following table contains the security update information for this software. You can find additional information in the subsection, Deployment Information, in this section.

Inclusion in Future Service Packs

The update for this issue will be included in a future service pack or update rollup

Deployment

 

Installing without user intervention

Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2:
WindowsServer2003-KB936021-x86-enu /quiet

 

Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2:
WindowsServer2003.WindowsXP-KB936021-x64-enu /quiet

 

Windows Server 2003 with SP1 for Itanium-based Systems and Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems:
WindowsServer2003-KB936021-ia64-enu /quiet

Installing without restarting

Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2:
WindowsServer2003-KB936021-x86-enu /norestart

 

Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition and Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2:
WindowsServer2003.WindowsXP-KB936021-x64-enu /norestart

 

Windows Server 2003 with SP1 for Itanium-based Systems and Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems:
WindowsServer2003-KB936021-ia64-enu /norestart

Update log file

KB936021.log

Further information

See the subsection, Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance

Restart Requirement

 

Restart required

Yes, you must restart your system after you apply this security update

Hotpatching