Microsoft Windows Cursor And Icon ANI Format Handling Remote Buffer Overflow Vulnerability

Description

Microsoft Windows is prone to a stack buffer-overflow vulnerability because of insufficient format validation that occurs when handling malformed ANI cursor or icon files. An attacker can exploit this issue to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of an unsuspecting user. A successful attack can result in the compromise of affected user accounts and computers. This issue affects Windows Vista, Windows XP SP2, and Windows Server 2003 SP1 when running Internet Explorer 6 and 7; other versions and client applications may also be affected. Microsoft has recently disclosed that Outlook 2007 is not vulnerable, that Windows Mail on Vista is vulnerable in replying to or forwarding emails containing malicious ANI files, and that Outlook Express is vulnerable to this issue. Third-party applications such as browsers that handle ANI files and call the ANI rendering functionality in GDI pose an attack vector for this vulnerability.

Technologies Affected

• Avaya Customer Interaction Express (CIE) Server 1.0
• Avaya Customer Interaction Express (CIE) User Interface 1.0
• Avaya Messaging Application Server
• Avaya Messaging Application Server MM 2.0
• Avaya Messaging Application Server MM 3.0
• Avaya Messaging Application Server MM 3.1
• HP Storage Management Appliance 2.1
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 SP1
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 SP2 do not use
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.0
• Microsoft Outlook Express 6.0
• Microsoft Outlook Express 6.0 SP1
• Microsoft Outlook Express 6.0 SP2
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP1
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP2
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP3
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP4
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server SP1
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server SP2
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server SP3
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server SP4
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP1
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP2
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP3
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP4
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Server Japanese Edition
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP1
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP2
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP3
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP4
• Microsoft Windows Mail
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition Itanium
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition Itanium SP1
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition Itanium SP1 Beta 1
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition SP1
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition SP1 Beta 1
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Datacenter x64 Edition
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Datacenter x64 Edition SP2
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition Itanium
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition Itanium SP1
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition Itanium SP1 Beta 1
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition SP1
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition SP1 Beta 1
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise x64 Edition
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise x64 Edition SP2
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Itanium SP2
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition SP1
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition SP1 Beta 1
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition SP2
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard x64 Edition
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Web Edition
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Web Edition SP1
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Web Edition SP1 Beta 1
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Web Edition SP2
• Microsoft Windows Vista
• Microsoft Windows Vista Beta 1
• Microsoft Windows Vista Business
• Microsoft Windows Vista December CTP
• Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise
• Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic
• Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium
• Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate
• Microsoft Windows Vista beta 2
• Microsoft Windows Vista beta
• Microsoft Windows Vista x64 Edition
• Microsoft Windows XP 64-bit Edition
• Microsoft Windows XP 64-bit Edition SP1
• Microsoft Windows XP 64-bit Edition Version 2003
• Microsoft Windows XP 64-bit Edition Version 2003 SP1
• Microsoft Windows XP
• Microsoft Windows XP Embedded
• Microsoft Windows XP Embedded SP1
• Microsoft Windows XP Gold
• Microsoft Windows XP Home
• Microsoft Windows XP Home SP1
• Microsoft Windows XP Home SP2
• Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition
• Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition SP1
• Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition SP2
• Microsoft Windows XP Professional
• Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP1
• Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP2
• Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition
• Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition SP2
• Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition
• Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition SP1
• Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition SP2
• Nortel Networks CallPilot 200i
• Nortel Networks CallPilot 201i
• Nortel Networks CallPilot 702t
• Nortel Networks CallPilot 703t
• Nortel Networks Centrex IP Element Manager 7.0.0
• Nortel Networks Centrex IP Element Manager 8.0.0
• Nortel Networks Centrex IP Element Manager 9.0.0
• Nortel Networks Contact Center - Agent Desktop Display
• Nortel Networks Contact Center - Symposium Agent
• Nortel Networks Contact Center - TAPI Desktop
• Nortel Networks Contact Center - TAPI Server
• Nortel Networks Contact Center Administration
• Nortel Networks Contact Center Express
• Nortel Networks Contact Center Manager
• Nortel Networks Contact Center Manager Server
• Nortel Networks Enterprise Network Management System
• Nortel Networks Meridian SL-100
• Nortel Networks Multimedia Communication Platform
• Nortel Networks Self-Service - Web Centric CCXML
• Nortel Networks Self-Service
• Nortel Networks Self-Service MPS 100
• Nortel Networks Self-Service MPS 1000
• Nortel Networks Self-Service MPS 500
• Nortel Networks Self-Service Media Processing Server
• Nortel Networks Self-Service Peri Application
• Nortel Networks Self-Service Peri IVR
• Nortel Networks Self-Service Peri NT Server
• Nortel Networks Self-Service Speech Server

Recommendations

Run all software as a nonprivileged user with minimal access rights.
To reduce the impact of latent vulnerabilities, always run non-administrative software as an unprivileged user with minimal access rights.

Deploy network intrusion detection systems to monitor network traffic for malicious activity.
Deploy NIDS to monitor network traffic for signs of anomalous or suspicious activity including unexplained incoming and outgoing traffic. This may indicate exploit attempts or activity that results from successful exploits

Do not accept or execute files from untrusted or unknown sources.
Users should not accept or execute files provided by an untrusted or unknown source.

Do not follow links provided by unknown or untrusted sources.
Since a likely vector of attack for this issue is the distribution of malicious HTML documents, users should not follow links provided by unknown or untrusted individuals.

Microsoft has released an advisory to address this issue in supported versions of affected applications. Please see the referenced advisory for details on obtaining and applying the appropriate updates.