Microsoft KB Archive/324096

= MS02-053: Request to SmartHTML Interpreter may monopolize Web server CPU resources =

Article ID: 324096

Article Last Modified on 3/29/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 1
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 3
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 2
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 1
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 2
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 3
 * Microsoft FrontPage 2002 Server Extensions
 * Microsoft FrontPage 2000 Server Extensions
 * Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
 * Microsoft Windows XP Professional

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This article was previously published under Q324096



SYMPTOMS
SmartHTML Interpreter (Shtml.dll) is part of FrontPage Server Extensions; it provides support for Web forms and other FrontPage-based dynamic content. The interpreter contains a flaw that occurs when it processes a request for a particular type of Web file if the request includes certain other characteristics. Such a request may cause the interpreter to consume most or all CPU availability until the Web service is restarted. An attacker might be able to use this vulnerability to conduct a denial-of-service attack against an affected Web server.

Mitigating Factors

 * The vulnerability does not provide any way to take any broader action on the server. It does not permit an attacker to add, delete, or modify data on the server.
 * The IIS Lockdown Tool, if it is used to configure a static Web server, turns off SmartHTML Interpreter. Servers on which this tool has been used cannot be affected by the vulnerability.
 * By default, FrontPage Server Extensions is installed on Microsoft Internet Information Server 4.0 and Microsoft Internet Information Services 5.0 and 5.1, but can be removed. Servers on which Internet Information Server or Internet Information Services has been removed cannot be affected by the vulnerability.



FrontPage 2002 Server Extensions from Microsoft
For additional information about the security update, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

329086 FP2002: FrontPage 2002 Server Extensions Security Update: September 25, 2002

The English-language version of this fix has the file attributes (or later) that are listed in the following table:   Version      File name 10.0.4219.0 Fp5awel.dll Microsoft also recommends that you install the FrontPage 2002 Server Extensions Update that was released in January, 2002. For additional information about the update, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

317296 Overview of the FrontPage 2002 Server Extension Update: January 28, 2002

FrontPage 2000 Server Extensions from Microsoft
For additional information about the security update, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

329085 FP2000: FrontPage 2000 Server Extensions Security Update: September 25, 2002

The English-language version of this fix has the file attributes (or later) that are listed in the following table:   Version      File name 4.0.2.6426  Fp4awel.dll

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

322389 How to obtain the latest Windows XP service pack

Hotfix information
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 files are available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:

English (US): Download the Q324096 package now

Arabic: Download the Q324096 package now

Chinese (Simplified): Download the Q324096 package now

Chinese (Traditional): Download the Q324096 package now

Czech: Download the Q324096 package now

Danish: Download the Q324096 package now

Dutch: Download the Q324096 package now

Finnish: Download the Q324096 package now

French: Download the Q324096 package now

German: Download the Q324096 package now

Greek: Download the Q324096 package now

Hebrew: Download the Q324096 package now

Hungarian: Download the Q324096 package now

Italian: Download the Q324096 package now

Japanese: Download the Q324096 package now

Korean: Download the Q324096 package now

Norwegian: Download the Q324096 package now

Polish: Download the Q324096 package now

Portuguese: Download the Q324096 package now

Portuguese (Brazil): Download the Q324096 package now

Russian: Download the Q324096 package now

Spanish: Download the Q324096 package now

Swedish: Download the Q324096 package now

Turkish: Download the Q324096 package now

Release Date: September 25, 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. This update supports the following Setup switches:
 * -?: Display the list of installation switches.
 * -u: Unattended mode.
 * -f: Force other programs to quit when the computer shuts down.
 * -n: Do not back up files for removal.
 * -o: Overwrite OEM files without prompting.
 * -z: Do not restart when installation is complete.
 * -q: Quiet mode (no user interaction).
 * -l: List installed hotfixes.
 * -x Extracts the files without running Setup.

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

Q324096_wxp_sp1_x86_enu -u -q -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 --  22-Jun-2002 10:37PM  10.0.4219.0  1382984  Fp5awel.dll NOTE: Because of file dependencies, this update may contain additional files.

Service pack information
The Windows 2000 version of this security patch is included in Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 (SP4) for systems that are running FrontPage 2000 Server Extensions. If you use any other version of FrontPage Server Extensions, you must install the patch for MS02-053 separately. To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Microsoft 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

Hotfix information
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 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 hotfix may receive additional testing. If your 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 phone numbers and information about support costs, 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 Q324096 package now

Release Date: September 25, 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. This update supports the following Setup switches:
 * -?: Display the list of installation switches.
 * -u: Unattended mode.
 * -f: Force other programs to quit when the computer shuts down.
 * -n: Do not back up files for removal.
 * -o: Overwrite OEM files without prompting.
 * -z: Do not restart when installation is complete.
 * -q: Quiet mode (no user interaction).
 * -l: List installed hotfixes.
 * -x Extracts the files without running Setup.

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

q318138_w2k_sp3_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

27-Apr-2002 12:34PM  4.0.2.6426   872557   ???\fp4awel.dll

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).



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.

Windows XP
This problem was first corrected in Windows XP Service Pack 2.

Windows 2000
This problem was first corrected in Windows 2000 Service Pack 4.



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

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS02-053.mspx

Additional query words: security_patch

Keywords: kbbug kbfix kbwin2000presp4fix kbsecvulnerability kbsysadmin kbsecurity kbwinxpsp2fix kbsecbulletin kbsechack kbwinxppresp2fix kbwin2ksp4fix atdownload KB324096

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