Microsoft KB Archive/320206

= MS02-024: Authentication flaw in Windows Debugger can cause elevated privileges =

Article ID: 320206

Article Last Modified on 11/6/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 1
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 2
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 1
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 2
 * Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 1
 * Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 2
 * Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 3
 * Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4
 * Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 5
 * Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 6a
 * Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Enterprise Edition
 * Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4
 * Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 5
 * Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 6a
 * Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Developer Edition
 * Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Developer Edition
 * Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Developer Edition
 * Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Developer Edition
 * Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Developer Edition
 * Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0
 * Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Developer Edition

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This article was previously published under Q320206



SYMPTOMS
A privilege elevation vulnerability exists that can allow a malicious user to pose as any user on the computer, including any administrator or the operating system itself.

Because this vulnerability requires the ability to log on interactively and to run a program, the computers that are most likely to be affected by this vulnerability are client computers and Terminal Services servers, which regularly permit users to interactively log on. Internet servers, file and print servers, and program servers such as SQL servers typically restrict the ability to log on interactively, and are less likely to be affected by this vulnerability.



CAUSE
This vulnerability occurs because of a flaw in how access to the debugging facility in Windows is validated. Because of a flaw in how requests to attach to the system debugger are authenticated, unauthorized programs may be able to gain access to the system debugger.



Windows 2000
To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows 2000. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

260910 How to Obtain the Latest Windows 2000 Service Pack

Download Information
The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:

Download the Q320206 package now

Release Date: May 22, 2002

For additional information about how to download Microsoft Support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

119591 How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online Services

Microsoft scanned this file for viruses. Microsoft used the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help to prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.

Installation Options
You must restart your computer after you apply this update. For additional information about the switches that you can use to apply this update, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

262841 Windows 2000 Hotfix.exe Program Description and Command-Line Switches

For example, the following command line installs the update without any user intervention and then does not force the computer to restart:

q320206_w2k_sp4_x86_en /q /m /z

WARNING: Your computer is vulnerable until you restart it.

File Information
The English version of this fix has the file attributes (or later) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.

  Date         Time   Version        Size    File name and path -  29-Apr-2002  15:02  5.0.2195.5695  45,840  %Windir%\System32\Smss.exe NOTE: Because of file dependencies, this update may contain additional files. This update requires Windows 2000 Service Pack 2 (SP2) or Service Pack 1 (SP1).

Windows NT 4.0
A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that this article describes. Apply it only to systems that you determine are at risk of attack. Evaluate the computer's physical accessibility, network and Internet connectivity, and other factors to determine the degree of risk to the computer. See the associated Microsoft Security Bulletin to help determine the degree of risk. This hotfix may receive additional testing. If the computer is sufficiently at risk, we recommend that you apply this hotfix now.

To resolve this problem immediately, download the hotfix by following the instructions later in this article or contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services telephone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

Note In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled, if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.

Download Information
The following file, for each given language, is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:

English Language Version

Arabic Language Version

Chinese (Hong Kong) Language Version

Chinese (Simplified) Language Version

Chinese (Traditional) Language Version

Czech Language Version

Danish Language Version

Dutch Language Version

Finnish Language Version

French Language Version

German Language Version

Hebrew Language Version

Hungarian Language Version

Italian Language Version

Japanese Language Version

Japanese NEC Language Version

Korean Language Version

Norwegian Language Version

Polish Language Version

Portuguese (Brazilian) Language Version

Russian Language Version

Spanish Language Version

Swedish Language Version

Thai Language Version

Release Date: May 22, 2002

For additional information about how to download Microsoft Support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

119591 How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online Services

Microsoft scanned this file for viruses. Microsoft used the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on secure servers that prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.

Installation Options
You must restart your computer after you apply this update. For additional information about the switches that you can use to apply this update, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

184305 How to Install and Remove Hotfixes with Hotfix.exe

For example, the following command line installs the update without any user intervention and does not force the computer to restart:

q320206i /q /m /z

WARNING: Your computer is vulnerable until you restart it.

File Information
The English version of this fix has the file attributes (or later) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.

  Date         Time   Version        Size    File name and path -  30-Apr-2002  14:46  4.0.1381.7152  40,720  %Windir%\System32\Smss.exe NOTE: Because of dependencies, this update may contain additional files. This update requires Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 6a (SP6a).

back to the top

Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition
A supported fix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Apply it only to computers that you determine are at risk of attack. Evaluate your computer's physical accessibility, network and Internet connectivity, and other factors to determine the degree of risk to your computer. See the associated Microsoft Security Bulletin to help determine the degree of risk. This fix may receive additional testing. If your computer is sufficiently at risk, Microsoft recommends that you apply this fix now.

To resolve this problem immediately, download the fix by clicking the download link later in this article or contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the fix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information about support costs, please visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS

NOTE: In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled, if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.

Download Information
The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:

Download the Q320206 package now

Release Date: May 22, 2002

For additional information about how to download Microsoft Support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

119591 How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online Services

Microsoft scanned this file for viruses. Microsoft used the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on secure servers that prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.

Installation Options
You must restart your computer after you apply this update. For additional information about the switches that you can use to apply this update, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

184305 How to Install and Remove Hotfixes with HOTFIX.EXE

For example, the following command line installs the update without any user intervention and then does not force the computer to restart:

q320206i /q /m /z

WARNING: Your computer is vulnerable until you restart it.

File Information
The English version of this fix has the file attributes (or later) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.   Date         Time   Version         Size    File name and path --  01-May-2002  15:32  4.0.1381.33537  46,352  %Windir%\System32\Smss.exe NOTE: Because of file dependencies, this update may contain additional files. This update requires Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition, Service Pack 6 (SP6).



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this problem may cause a degree of security vulnerability in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was first corrected in Windows 2000 Service Pack 3.



MORE INFORMATION
For more information about this vulnerability, see the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms02-024.asp

Additional query words: kbBaseOS security_patch

Keywords: kbhotfixserver kbqfe kbqfe kbwin2ksp4fix kbbug kbfix kboswin2000fix kbsechack kbsecurity kbsecvulnerability kbwin2000presp3fix kbwin2000sp3fix KB320206

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