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AL-2008.0086 -- [Win][OSX] -- MS08-043 - Vulnerabilities in Microsoft Excel Could Allow Remote Code Execution

Date: 13 August 2008
References: ESB-2008.0813  

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===========================================================================
A  U  S  C  E  R  T                                           A  L  E  R  T

                       AL-2008.0086 -- AUSCERT ALERT
                                [Win][OSX]
         MS08-043 - Vulnerabilities in Microsoft Excel Could Allow
                           Remote Code Execution
                              13 August 2008

===========================================================================

        AusCERT Alert Summary
        ---------------------

Product:              Excel 2007 Service Pack 1
                      Excel 2007
                      Excel 2003 Service Pack 3
                      Excel 2003 Service Pack 2
                      Excel 2002 Service Pack 3
                      Excel 2000 Service Pack 3
                      Microsoft Office Excel Viewer 2003
                      Microsoft Office Excel Viewer 2003 Service Pack 3
                      Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel,
                         and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats
                      Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel,
                         and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats Service Pack 1
                      Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007
                      Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 Service Pack 1
                      Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 x64 Edition
                      Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 x64 Edition
                         Service Pack 1
                      Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac
                      Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac
Publisher:            Microsoft
Operating System:     Windows
                      Mac OS X
Impact:               Execute Arbitrary Code/Commands
Access:               Remote/Unauthenticated
CVE Names:            CVE-2008-3006 CVE-2008-3005 CVE-2008-3004
                      CVE-2008-3003

Original Bulletin:  
  http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms08-043.mspx

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Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-043 - Critical

Vulnerabilities in Microsoft Excel Could Allow Remote Code Execution
(954066)

   Published: August 12, 2008

   Version: 1.0

General Information

Executive Summary

   This security update resolves four privately reported vulnerabilities
   in Microsoft Office Excel that could allow remote code execution if a
   user opens a specially crafted Excel file. An attacker who
   successfully exploited these vulnerabilities could take complete
   control of an affected system. An attacker could then install
   programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with
   full user rights. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer
   user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who
   operate with administrative user rights.

   This security update is rated Critical for Microsoft Office Excel 2000
   Service Pack 3 and rated Important for Excel 2002 Service Pack 3,
   Excel 2003 Service Pack 2, Excel 2003 Service Pack 3, Excel Viewer
   2003, Excel Viewer 2003 Service Pack 3, Excel 2007, Excel 2007 Service
   Pack 1, Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and
   PowerPoint 2007 File Formats, Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for
   Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats Service Pack 1,
   Microsoft Office Excel Viewer, and Microsoft Office SharePoint Server
   2007. For more information, see the subsection, Affected
   Software, in this section.

   Recommendation. Microsoft recommends that customers apply the update
   immediately.

Affected Software

   Excel 2000 Service Pack 3

   Excel 2002 Service Pack 3

   Excel 2003 Service Pack 2

   Excel 2003 Service Pack 3

   Excel 2007

   Excel 2007 Service Pack 1

   Microsoft Office Excel Viewer 2003

   Microsoft Office Excel Viewer 2003 Service Pack 3

   Microsoft Office Excel Viewer

   Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and
   PowerPoint 2007 File Formats

   Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and
   PowerPoint 2007 File Formats Service Pack 1

   Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007

   Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 Service Pack 1

   Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 x64 Edition

   Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 x64 Edition Service Pack 1

   Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac

   Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac

Vulnerability Information

Excel Indexing Validation Vulnerability - CVE-2008-3004

   A remote code execution vulnerability exists in the way Excel
   processes index values when loading Excel files into memory. An
   attacker could exploit the vulnerability by opening a specially
   crafted file which could be hosted on a Web site, or included as an
   e-mail attachment.

Workarounds for Excel Indexing Validation Vulnerability - CVE-2008-3004

   Use the Microsoft Office Isolated Conversion Environment (MOICE) when
   opening files from unknown or un-trusted sources

   Use Microsoft Office File Block policy to block the opening of Office
   2003 and earlier documents from unknown or untrusted sources and
   locations

Excel Index Array Vulnerability - CVE-2008-3005

   A remote code execution vulnerability exists in the way Excel
   processes an array index when loading Excel files into memory. An
   attacker could exploit the vulnerability by opening a specially
   crafted file which could be hosted on a Web site, or included as an
   e-mail attachment..

Workarounds for Excel Index Array Vulnerability - CVE-2008-3005

   Do not open or save Microsoft Office files that you receive from
   untrusted sources or that you receive unexpectedly from trusted
   sources. This vulnerability could be exploited when a user opens a
   specially crafted file.

Excel Record Parsing Vulnerability - CVE-2008-3006

   A vulnerability exists in the way Excel parses record values when
   loading Excel files into memory. Depending on the attack scenario, the
   vulnerability could lead to remote code execution on a user's local
   Excel client, or it could lead to elevation of privilege within a
   SharePoint Server.

   In an attack against a user's local Excel client, an attacker could
   exploit the vulnerability by convincing a user to open a specially
   crafted file which could be hosted on a Web site, or included as an
   e-mail attachment.

   In an attack against a SharePoint site, an attacker would first need
   an account on the SharePoint site with sufficient rights to upload a
   specially crafted Excel file and then create a web part using the file
   on the SharePoint site.

Workarounds for Excel Record Parsing Vulnerability - CVE-2008-3006

   On Excel client systems, use the Microsoft Office Isolated Conversion
   Environment (MOICE) when opening files from unknown or un-trusted
   sources

   On Excel client systems, use Microsoft Office File Block policy to
   block the opening of Office 2003 and earlier documents from unknown or
   untrusted sources and locations

Excel Credential Caching Vulnerability - CVE-2008-3003

   An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Excel 2007 when data
   connections are made to a remote data sources. An attacker could
   exploit the vulnerability to gain access to a secured remote data
   source by opening an .xlsx file that had been explicitly configured
   not to store credentials to the remote data source.

Workarounds for Excel Credential Caching Vulnerability - CVE-2008-3003

   Edit the connections.xml inside the .xlsx file and manually remove the
   password

   Use Excel 2007 to encrypt the file with the data connections

   From within Excel 2007, save the file in the Excel 97-2003 file
   format.

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NOTE: Third Party Rights
This security bulletin is provided as a service to AusCERT's members.  As
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NOTE: This is only the original release of the security bulletin.  It may
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from the author's website to ensure that the information is still current.

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        http://www.auscert.org.au/render.html?cid=1980

If you believe that your computer system has been compromised or attacked in 
any way, we encourage you to let us know by completing the secure National IT 
Incident Reporting Form at:

        http://www.auscert.org.au/render.html?it=3192

===========================================================================
Australian Computer Emergency Response Team
The University of Queensland
Brisbane
Qld 4072

Internet Email: auscert@auscert.org.au
Facsimile:      (07) 3365 7031
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                On call after hours for member emergencies only.
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