ms.excel97.virus.warning.bug.txt

`Date: Sat, 8 May 1999 16:09:28 -0700  
From: [email protected]  
To: [email protected]  
Subject: Microsoft Security Bulletin (MS99-014)  
  
The following is a Security Bulletin from the Microsoft Product Security  
Notification Service.  
  
Please do not reply to this message, as it was sent from an unattended  
mailbox.  
********************************  
  
Microsoft Security Bulletin (MS99-014)  
--------------------------------------  
  
Patch Available for Excel 97 Virus Warning Vulnerabilities  
  
Originally Posted: May 7, 1999  
  
Summary  
=======  
Microsoft has released a patch that eliminates vulnerabilities in the Excel  
97 virus warning mechanism. The patch is fully supported, and Microsoft  
recommends that affected customers download and install it, if appropriate.  
  
Issue  
=====  
Microsoft Excel 97 provides a feature that warns the user before launching  
an external file that could potentially contain a virus or other malicious  
software. This feature allows the user to weigh the risk of opening the  
file, based on its origin, the network it is located on and the security  
practices in operation there, the sensitivity of the data on the user's  
computer, and other factors.  
  
However, certain scenarios have been identified that could be misused to  
bypass the warning mechanism. In general, they require the use of  
infrequently-combined features and commands, and are unlikely to be  
encountered in normal use. This patch addresses these issues so that they  
cannot be taken advantage of by a malicious user.  
  
While there are no reports of customers being adversely affected by any of  
the vulnerabilities eliminated by the patch, Microsoft is proactively  
releasing the patch to allow customers to take appropriate action to protect  
themselves against it. These fixes are already built into Excel 2000 and  
users of that product will not need to download this patch.  
  
Affected Software Versions  
==========================  
- Microsoft Excel 97  
  
What Microsoft is Doing  
=======================  
Microsoft has released patches that fix the problem identified. The patches  
are available for download from the sites listed below in What Customers  
Should Do.  
  
Microsoft also has sent this security bulletin to customers subscribing  
to the Microsoft Product Security Notification Service. See  
http://www.microsoft.com/security/services/bulletin.asp for more  
information about this free customer service.  
  
Microsoft has published the following Knowledge Base (KB) article on this  
issue:  
- Microsoft Knowledge Base (KB) article Q231304,  
Patch Available for Excel 97 Virus Warning Vulnerabilities,  
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q231/3/04.asp.  
(Note: It might take 24 hours from the original posting of this bulletin  
for the KB article to be visible in the Web-based Knowledge Base.)  
  
What Customers Should Do  
========================  
Microsoft highly recommends that customers evaluate the degree of risk that  
this vulnerability poses to their systems and determine whether to download  
and install the patch. The patch can be found at:  
- http://officeupdate.microsoft.com/downloaddetails/xl8p6pkg.htm  
  
More Information  
================  
Please see the following references for more information related to this  
issue.  
- Microsoft Security Bulletin MS99-013,  
Patch Available for Excel 97 Virus Warning Vulnerabilities  
(the Web-posted version of this bulletin),  
http://www.microsoft.com/security/bulletins/ms99-013.asp.  
- Microsoft Knowledge Base (KB) article Q231304,  
Patch Available for Excel 97 Virus Warning Vulnerabilities,  
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q231/3/04.asp.  
  
Obtaining Support on this Issue  
===============================  
If you require technical assistance with this issue, please contact  
Microsoft Technical Support. For information on contacting Microsoft  
Technical Support, please see  
http://support.microsoft.com/support/contact/default.asp.  
  
Revisions  
=========  
- May 7, 1999: Bulletin Created.  
  
  
For additional security-related information about Microsoft products, please  
visit http://www.microsoft.com/security  
  
  
--------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS"  
WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER  
EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS  
FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS  
SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT,  
INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN  
IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE  
POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR  
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE  
FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.  
  
(c) 1999 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use.  
  
*******************************************************************  
You have received this e-mail bulletin as a result of your registration  
to the Microsoft Product Security Notification Service. You may  
unsubscribe from this e-mail notification service at any time by sending  
an e-mail to [email protected]  
The subject line and message body are not used in processing the request,  
and can be anything you like.  
  
For more information on the Microsoft Security Notification Service  
please visit http://www.microsoft.com/security/bulletin.htm. For  
security-related information about Microsoft products, please visit the  
Microsoft Security Advisor web site at http://www.microsoft.com/security.  
  
`