Microsoft Windows TrueType Font CVE-2012-4786 Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Description

Microsoft Windows is prone to a remote code-execution vulnerability. Successful exploits will result in the execution of arbitrary code in kernel-mode. Failed attempts will cause a denial-of-service condition.

Technologies Affected

• Microsoft Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems
• Microsoft Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems SP1
• Microsoft Windows 7 for x64-based Systems
• Microsoft Windows 8 for 32-bit Systems
• Microsoft Windows 8 for 64-bit Systems
• Microsoft Windows RT
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition Itanium SP2
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition Itanium Sp2 Itanium
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 SP2
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Sp1 X64
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Sp2 X64
• 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
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems SP1
• 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 SP2
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems SP2
• Microsoft Windows Server 2012
• Microsoft Windows Vista Service Pack 2
• Microsoft Windows Vista x64 Edition Service Pack 2
• Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 3

Recommendations

Run all software as a nonprivileged user with minimal access rights.
To mitigate the impact of a successful exploit, run the affected application as a 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 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.
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 use client software to access unknown or untrusted hosts from critical systems.
Do not visit sites of unknown origin or questionable integrity with client software.

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.

Vendor updates are available. Please see the references for details.