-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: Authentication Flaw Could Allow Unauthorized Users To Authenticate To SMTP Service Date: 27 February 2002 Software: Microsoft Windows 2000; Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 Impact: Mail Relaying Max Risk: Low Bulletin: MS02-011 Microsoft encourages customers to review the Security Bulletin at: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS02-011.asp. - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Issue: ====== An SMTP service installs by default as part of Windows 2000 server products and as part of the Internet Mail Connector (IMC) for Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5. (The IMC, also known as the Microsoft Exchange Internet Mail Service, provides access and message exchange to and from any system that uses SMTP). A vulnerability results in both services because of a flaw in the way they handle a valid response from the NTLM authentication layer of the underlying operating system. By design, the Windows 2000 SMTP service and the Exchange Server 5.5 IMC, upon receiving notification from the NTLM authentication layer that a user has been authenticated, should perform additional checks before granting the user access to the service. The vulnerability results because the affected services don't perform this additional checking correctly. In some cases, this could result in the SMTP service granting access to a user solely on the basis of their ability to successfully authenticate to the server. An attacker who exploited the vulnerability could gain only user-level privileges on the SMTP service, thereby enabling the attacker to use the service but not to administer it. The most likely purpose in exploiting the vulnerability would be to perform mail relaying via the server. Mitigating Factors: ==================== - Exchange 2000 servers are not affected by the vulnerability because they correctly handle the authentication process to the SMTP service. - The vulnerability would not enable the attacker to read other users' email, nor to send mail as other users. - Best practices recommend disabling unneeded services. If the SMTP service has been disabled, the mail relaying vulnerability could not be exploited. - The vulnerability would not grant administrative privileges to the service, nor would it grant the attacker the ability to run programs or operating system commands. Risk Rating: ============ - Internet systems: Low - Intranet systems: Low - Client systems: Low Patch Availability: =================== - A patch is available to fix this vulnerability. Please read the Security Bulletin at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms02-011.asp for information on obtaining this patch. Acknowledgment: =============== - BindView's RAZOR Team (http://razor.bindview.com) - --------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: PGP 7.1 iQEVAwUBPH2VYI0ZSRQxA/UrAQFMsgf/ZoP5yg1R1qEQTDWhSJo07zG8Yg9fhKxt UEWddDF4x+M8Mr7YQnYX+LMRjh35ptwbixIG/qrmr0AiaxwdrXFI2zI88FhN0WSa nioVlHom2Q4hOOhK3lf7aLobo5I9qnEs9+ioOUIQtxzsMdl9CbyV8mhNfq8xPLqe Sq7W26hNtz6IrHAS+AB4ccq8a9xmp5LQOUvAeKCmuMElX4IMjJkLGp0jhUTpHyoF 2RAqvrTriCmM33GMohQ1sR1YAhca5NqsK8p8Cw0iVLNzeIqIpKLhDjGdxHVBKxut jAQGst+rQTeLhMr0YIXZ6E8QXckSuft+22PKxG0HBcpCm0c5e55dog== =9GZH -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----