Published:
18 June 2001
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-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- =========================================================================== AUSCERT External Security Bulletin Redistribution ESB-2001.237 -- Microsoft Security Bulletin MS01-032 SQL Query Method Enables Cached Administrator Connection to be Reused 19 June 2001 =========================================================================== AusCERT Security Bulletin Summary --------------------------------- Product: Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Gold Vendor: Microsoft Impact: Increased Privileges Access Required: Existing Account - --------------------------BEGIN INCLUDED TEXT-------------------- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: SQL Query Method Enables Cached Administrator Connection to be Reused Date: 12 June 2001 Software: Microsoft SQL Server 2000 and SQL Server 7.0 Impact: Privilege elevation Bulletin: MS01-032 Microsoft encourages customers to review the Security Bulletin at: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS01-032.asp. - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Issue: ====== When a client connection to a SQL Server is terminated, it remains cached for a short period of time for performance reasons. One SQL query method contains a flaw that has the effect of making it possible for one user's query to reuse a cached connection that belonged to the sa account. Exploiting this vulnerability would enable an attacker to execute the query using the administrator's security context. This would give her the ability to take any desired action on the database; moreover, it would give her the ability to run extended stored procedures, thereby giving her the opportunity to run code of her choice and assume de facto control of the server itself. Mitigating Factors: ==================== - The vulnerability only affects servers configured to use Mixed Mode. Microsoft strongly recommends against using Mixed Mode, and recommends using Windows Authentication mode instead. Customers who have configured their servers to use Windows Authentication mode are not affected by this vulnerability. - Terminated connections are only cached for a short period. The attacker would need to time her attack in order to occur during the period when an administrator's connection was in the cache. - The query method at issue here can only be executed by an authenticated user. Not only would this limit the number of users who could exploit the vulnerability, it also would allow the action to be audited. Patch Availability: =================== - A patch is available to fix this vulnerability. Please read the Security Bulletin http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms01-032.asp for information on obtaining this patch. - --------------------------------------------------------------------- THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. 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Previous advisories and external security bulletins can be retrieved from: http://www.auscert.org.au/Information/advisories.html If you believe that your system has been compromised, contact AusCERT or your representative in FIRST (Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams). Internet Email: auscert@auscert.org.au Facsimile: (07) 3365 7031 Telephone: (07) 3365 4417 (International: +61 7 3365 4417) AusCERT personnel answer during Queensland business hours which are GMT+10:00 (AEST). On call after hours for emergencies. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.6.3i Charset: noconv Comment: ftp://ftp.auscert.org.au/pub/auscert/AUSCERT_PGP.key iQCUAwUBOy8LPyh9+71yA2DNAQHgXAP3XHq17xz+0WoAphDCI98m75qK0EB2wtbz AawIq+ZjTqcmIeWqBSZ9EtPVYx5P4Hsnw7bq6Zb8oUC78IyCkRL4+I5uuMoC9ADF my8OdLqODDjdjS1DQJoSdyN9DPIptW++awsoZvy+RoCbmmaDlepq7QBmftkxb53V M0u3H5sAIA== =rWgK -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----