Microsoft Vista and Server 2008 vulnerable to memory corruption via saved search

Overview

Microsoft Windows Vista and Server 2008 contain a memory corruption vulnerability when saving a specially crafted search file. This vulnerability may allow a remote, unauthenticated attacker to execute arbitrary code on a vulnerable system.

Description

In Windows Vista and Server 2008, users can save searches as a search folder that is generated by a .search-ms XML file. Microsoft Windows fails to properly parse .search-ms files, which can result in memory corruption.

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Impact

By convincing a user to save a specially crafted search specified by a .search-ms file, a remote, unauthenticated attacker may be able to execute arbitrary code on a vulnerable system.

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Solution

Apply an update

This vulnerability is addressed in Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-075. This bulletin also includes several workarounds, including changing the file association for .search-ms files and denying the ability to save searches.

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Vendor Information

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Updated: December 09, 2008

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

This vulnerability is addressed in Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-075. This bulletin also includes several workarounds, including changing the file association for .search-ms files and denying the ability to save searches.

If you have feedback, comments, or additional information about this vulnerability, please send us [email](<mailto:[email protected]?Subject=VU%23468227 Feedback>).

CVSS Metrics

Group	Score	Vector
Base
Temporal
Environmental

References

• <http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/ms08-075.mspx&gt;
• <http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb892885(VS.85).aspx&gt;

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Andre Protas of eEye for reporting this vulnerability.

This document was written by Will Dormann.

Other Information

CVE IDs:	CVE-2008-4268
Severity Metric:	4.39 Date Public: