Microsoft Windows TrueType Font Engine CVE-2012-0159 Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Description

Microsoft Windows is prone to a remote code-execution vulnerability that affects the TrueType Font engine. An attacker can exploit this issue through the Windows Kernel-Mode drivers to execute arbitrary code in kernel mode. The attacker can also exploit this issue through Microsoft Silverlight, Microsoft Office, or other affected Windows components to execute arbitrary code with user-level privileges. Successful exploits will completely compromise an affected computer. Failed attempts will result in a denial-of-service condition.

Technologies Affected

• Avaya Aura Conferencing 6.0 Standard
• Avaya CallPilot 4.0
• Avaya CallPilot 5.0
• Avaya Communication Server 1000 Telephony Manager 3.0
• Avaya Communication Server 1000 Telephony Manager 4.0
• Avaya Meeting Exchange - Client Registration Server
• Avaya Meeting Exchange - Enterprise Edition
• Avaya Meeting Exchange - Recording Server
• Avaya Meeting Exchange - Streaming Server
• Avaya Meeting Exchange - Web Conferencing Server
• Avaya Meeting Exchange - Webportal 6.0
• Avaya Meeting Exchange 5.0
• Avaya Meeting Exchange 5.0 SP1
• Avaya Meeting Exchange 5.0 SP2
• Avaya Meeting Exchange 5.0.0.0.52
• Avaya Meeting Exchange 5.1
• Avaya Meeting Exchange 5.1 SP1
• Avaya Meeting Exchange 5.2
• Avaya Meeting Exchange 5.2 SP1
• Avaya Meeting Exchange 5.2 SP2
• Avaya Messaging Application Server 5
• Avaya Messaging Application Server 5.2
• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5.1
• Microsoft .NET Framework 4.0
• Microsoft Lync 2010
• Microsoft Lync 2010 Attendant (32-bit)
• Microsoft Lync 2010 Attendant (64-bit)
• Microsoft Lync 2010 Attendee
• Microsoft Office 2003
• Microsoft Office 2007
• Microsoft Office 2010 (32-bit edition)
• Microsoft Office 2010 (32-bit edition) SP1
• Microsoft Office 2010 (64-bit edition)
• Microsoft Office 2010 (64-bit edition) SP1
• Microsoft Office 2010
• Microsoft Office Communicator 2007 R2
• Microsoft Silverlight 4.0
• Microsoft Silverlight 5.0
• Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
• Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Sp1 X32
• Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Sp1 X64
• Microsoft Windows 7 Professional
• Microsoft Windows 7 RC
• Microsoft Windows 7 Starter
• Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate
• Microsoft Windows 7 XP Mode
• Microsoft Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems
• Microsoft Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems SP1
• Microsoft Windows 7 for x64-based Systems
• Microsoft Windows 7 for x64-based Systems SP1
• 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 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 Itanium SP2
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition SP1
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise x64 Edition
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise x64 Edition SP2
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Gold
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Itanium
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Itanium SP1
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Itanium SP2
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 SP1
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 SP2
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition SP1
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition SP2
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 x64 SP1
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 x64 SP2
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Datacenter Edition
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Datacenter Edition SP2
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Edition
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Edition SP2
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Itanium
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Itanium SP1
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems SP1
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 x64
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 SP1
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition Itanium
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition SP2
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition X64
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems SP2
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems R2
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems SP2
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems R2
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems SP2
• Microsoft Windows Vista
• Microsoft Windows Vista Business 64-bit edition
• Microsoft Windows Vista Business 64-bit edition SP1
• Microsoft Windows Vista Business 64-bit edition SP2
• Microsoft Windows Vista Business SP1
• Microsoft Windows Vista Business SP2
• Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise 64-bit edition
• Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise 64-bit edition SP1
• Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise 64-bit edition SP2
• Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise
• Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise SP1
• Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise SP2
• Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic 64-bit edition
• Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic 64-bit edition SP1
• Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic 64-bit edition SP2
• Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic 64-bit edition Sp1 X64
• Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic 64-bit edition Sp2 X64
• Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic
• Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic SP1
• Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic SP2
• Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit edition
• Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit edition SP1
• Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit edition SP2
• Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium
• Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1
• Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP2
• Microsoft Windows Vista SP1
• Microsoft Windows Vista SP2
• Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit edition
• Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit edition SP1
• Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit edition SP2
• Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate
• Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate SP1
• Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate SP2
• Microsoft Windows Vista x64 Edition
• Microsoft Windows Vista x64 Edition SP1
• Microsoft Windows Vista x64 Edition SP2
• Microsoft Windows XP 64-bit Edition SP1
• Microsoft Windows XP
• Microsoft Windows XP Embedded
• Microsoft Windows XP Embedded SP1
• Microsoft Windows XP Embedded SP2
• Microsoft Windows XP Embedded SP3
• Microsoft Windows XP Gold
• Microsoft Windows XP Home
• Microsoft Windows XP Home SP1
• Microsoft Windows XP Home SP2
• Microsoft Windows XP Home SP3
• Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition
• Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition SP1
• Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition SP2
• Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition SP3
• Microsoft Windows XP Professional
• Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP1
• Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP2
• Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP3
• Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition
• Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition SP2

Recommendations

Permit local access for trusted individuals only. Where possible, use restricted environments and restricted shells.
To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker requires local access to an affected computer. Grant local access for trusted and accountable users only.

Deploy network intrusion detection systems to monitor network traffic for malicious activity.
Deploy NIDS to monitor network traffic for signs of suspicious or anomalous activity. This may help detect malicious actions that an attacker may take after successfully exploiting vulnerabilities in applications. Review all applicable logs regularly.

Do not accept or execute files from untrusted or unknown sources.
Users should never accept files from untrusted or unknown sources, because they may be malicious in nature. Avoid opening email attachments from unknown or questionable sources.

Do not accept communications that originate from unknown or untrusted sources.
Do not follow links or open email from unknown or untrusted sources.

Implement multiple redundant layers of security.
Since this issue may be leveraged to execute code, we recommend memory-protection schemes, such as nonexecutable stack/heap configurations and randomly mapped memory segments. This tactic may complicate exploit attempts of memory-corruption vulnerabilities.

The vendor released an advisory and updates. Please see the references for details.