Microsoft Windows Shell Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Description
Microsoft Windows is prone to a vulnerability that may allow remote attackers to execute code through the Windows Shell. The cause of the vulnerability is related to how the operating system handles unregistered file types. The specific issue is that files with an unknown extension may be opened with the application specified in the embedded CLSID.

The victim of the attack would be required to open a malicious file, possibly hosted on a Web site or sent through email. Social engineering would generally be required to entice the victim into opening the file.

Symantec Vulnerability Assessment
Symantec Vulnerability Assessment detects and reports this vulnerability. Click here for the advisory released April 14, 2005.

Symantec Enterprise Security Manager
Symantec Enterprise Security Manager™ posted an update to the OS Patch Policy that detects and reports systems that are not patched against this vulnerability. Click here for the advisory released April 14, 2005.

Symantec Enterprise Security Manager Network Assessment Module detects and reports this vulnerability. Click here for the advisory released September 20, 2005.

Platforms Affected
Avaya DefinityOne Media Servers
Avaya IP600 Media Servers
Avaya S3400 Message Application Server
Avaya S8100 Media Servers

Components Affected
Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP4
Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP3
Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP2
Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP1
Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server SP4
Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server SP3
Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server SP2
Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server SP1
Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP4
Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP3
Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP2
Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP1
Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP4
Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP3
Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP2
Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP1
Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
Microsoft Windows 98
Microsoft Windows 98SE
Microsoft Windows ME
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Web Edition
Microsoft Windows XP 64-bit Edition SP1
Microsoft Windows XP 64-bit Edition Version 2003 SP1
Microsoft Windows XP Home SP2
Microsoft Windows XP Home SP1
Microsoft Windows XP Home
Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition SP2
Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition SP1
Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition
Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP2
Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP1
Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition SP2
Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition SP1
Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition

Recommendations
Do not accept or execute files from untrusted or unknown sources.
Users should not accept or open files that originate from an unfamiliar or untrusted source, especially if they arrive in unsolicited email or are hosted on a Web site of questionable integrity.

Do not follow links provided by unknown or untrusted sources.
Users should be wary of visiting Web sites of questionable integrity.

Run all software as a non-privileged user with minimal access rights.
Users should perform all non-administrative tasks an as unprivileged user with minimal access rights. This may reduce the impact of latent vulnerabilities.

Microsoft has released fixes to address this vulnerability on supported platforms.

Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP4:

Microsoft Patch Security Update for Windows 2000 (KB893086)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=A7511A19-ADD5-4793-92AC-25E953CE405C

Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP3:

Microsoft Patch Security Update for Windows 2000 (KB893086)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=A7511A19-ADD5-4793-92AC-25E953CE405C

Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP2:
Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP1:
Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server :
Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server SP4:

Microsoft Patch Security Update for Windows 2000 (KB893086)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=A7511A19-ADD5-4793-92AC-25E953CE405C

Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server SP3:

Microsoft Patch Security Update for Windows 2000 (KB893086)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=A7511A19-ADD5-4793-92AC-25E953CE405C

Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server SP2:
Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server SP1:
Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server :
Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP4:

Microsoft Patch Security Update for Windows 2000 (KB893086)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=A7511A19-ADD5-4793-92AC-25E953CE405C

Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP3:

Microsoft Patch Security Update for Windows 2000 (KB893086)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=A7511A19-ADD5-4793-92AC-25E953CE405C

Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP2:
Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP1:
Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional :
Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP4:
Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP3:
Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP2:
Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP1:
Microsoft Windows 2000 Server :
Microsoft Windows 98 :
Microsoft Windows 98SE :
Microsoft Windows ME :
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition :
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition :

Microsoft Patch Security Update for Windows Server 2003 (KB893086)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=F803F008-5EE8-4BBE-8136-BC21708D1025

Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition :

Microsoft Patch Security Update for Windows Server 2003 (KB893086)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=F803F008-5EE8-4BBE-8136-BC21708D1025

Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Web Edition :

Microsoft Patch Security Update for Windows Server 2003 (KB893086)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=F803F008-5EE8-4BBE-8136-BC21708D1025

Microsoft Windows XP 64-bit Edition SP1:

Microsoft Patch Security Update for Windows XP 64-bit Edition (KB893086)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=D513C252-FF70-46E3-BD79-077A336A974D

Microsoft Windows XP 64-bit Edition Version 2003 SP1:
Microsoft Windows XP Home SP2:

Microsoft Patch Security Update for Windows XP (KB893086)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=51679BB1-A61B-47AC-A943-F9F306EF987B

Microsoft Windows XP Home SP1:

Microsoft Patch Security Update for Windows XP (KB893086)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=51679BB1-A61B-47AC-A943-F9F306EF987B

Microsoft Windows XP Home :
Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition SP2:

Microsoft Patch Security Update for Windows XP (KB893086)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=51679BB1-A61B-47AC-A943-F9F306EF987B

Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition SP1:

Microsoft Patch Security Update for Windows XP (KB893086)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=51679BB1-A61B-47AC-A943-F9F306EF987B

Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition :
Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP2:

Microsoft Patch Security Update for Windows XP (KB893086)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=51679BB1-A61B-47AC-A943-F9F306EF987B

Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP1:

Microsoft Patch Security Update for Windows XP (KB893086)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=51679BB1-A61B-47AC-A943-F9F306EF987B

Microsoft Windows XP Professional :
Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition SP2:

Microsoft Patch Security Update for Windows XP (KB893086)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=51679BB1-A61B-47AC-A943-F9F306EF987B

Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition SP1:

Microsoft Patch Security Update for Windows XP (KB893086)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=51679BB1-A61B-47AC-A943-F9F306EF987B

Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition :

References
Source: Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-016
URL: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS05-016.mspx

Credits
Discovery is credited to a source that wishes to remain anonymous.

Copyright (c) 2009 by Symantec Corp.
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Disclaimer
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