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Microsoft Message Queuing vulnerable to buffer overflow

Vulnerability Note VU#763513

Original Release Date: 2005-07-01 | Last Revised: 2005-07-11

Overview

Microsoft Message Queuing contains a buffer overflow vulnerability. This could allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on the system running the vulnerable software.

Description

Microsoft Message Queuing (MSMQ) is a component of Microsoft Windows that provides messaging services. Applications send messages to, and read messages from, queues. MSMQ manages these messages to communicate across heterogeneous networks and systems that may be temporarily offline.

MSMQ contains a buffer overflow vulnerability in the processing of messages. MSMQ is not installed by default on any affected Windows operating system. MSMQ must be manually installed for an affected operating system to be vulnerable. Microsoft lists the following versions of Windows as affected:

    • Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 and Windows 2000 Service Pack 4
    • Windows XP Service Pack 1
    • Windows XP 64-Bit Edition Service Pack 1 (Itanium)
    • Windows 98 and Windows 98 SE
Exploit code is publicly available for this vulnerability and we have received reports of active exploitation.

Impact

A remote unauthenticated attacker could execute arbitrary code on the system running MSMQ.

Solution

Apply a patch

Microsoft has published Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-017 in response to this issue. Users are strongly encouraged to review this advisory and apply the patches it refers to.

Workarounds


Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-017 also contains a number of workarounds for this issue. Users, particularly those who are affected but unable to apply the patches, are encouraged to implement these workarounds.

Vendor Information

763513
 
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Microsoft Corporation Affected

Updated:  April 12, 2005

Status

Affected

Vendor Statement

We have not received a statement from the vendor.

Vendor Information

The vendor has not provided us with any further information regarding this vulnerability.

Addendum

US-CERT has no additional comments at this time.

If you have feedback, comments, or additional information about this vulnerability, please send us email.


CVSS Metrics

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References

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Microsoft Security for reporting this vulnerability. Microsoft, in turn, thanks Kostya Kortchinsky of CERT RENATER for reporting this issue.

This document was written by Will Dormann.

Other Information

CVE IDs: CVE-2005-0059
Severity Metric: 13.86
Date Public: 2005-04-12
Date First Published: 2005-07-01
Date Last Updated: 2005-07-11 18:46 UTC
Document Revision: 11

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