Microsoft Security Bulletin (MS99-001)

From: aleph1at_private
Date: Thu Jan 21 1999 - 12:42:30 PST

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    The following is a Security  Bulletin from the Microsoft Product Security
    Notification Service.
    
    Please do not  reply to this message,  as it was sent  from an unattended
    mailbox.
                        ********************************
    
    Microsoft Security Bulletin (MS99-001)
    --------------------------------------
    
    Patch Available for exposure in Forms 2.0 TextBox
    Control that allows data to be read from user's Clipboard
    
    Originally Posted: January 21, 1999
    
    Summary
    =======
    Microsoft has released a patch that fixes a vulnerability in the Forms 2.0
    ActiveX control. This control is distributed in any application that
    includes Visual Basic for Applications 5.0. A malicious hacker could use the
    Forms 2.0 Control to read or export text on a user's Clipboard when that
    user visits a web site set up by the malicious hacker or opens a HTML email
    created by the malicious hacker.
    
    A fully supported patch is available to fix this vulnerability, and
    Microsoft recommends that customers download and install it to protect their
    computers.
    
    Issue
    =====
    The Forms 2.0 ActiveX control has a vulnerability that allows text to be
    pasted from a user's Clipboard into a Forms 2.0 Text Box or Combo Box. This
    control is installed as a standard part of the applications listed in the
    "Affected Products" section below.
    
    A malicious hacker could use the Forms 2.0 Control to read or export text on
    a user's Clipboard when that user visits a web site set up by the malicious
    hacker or opens a HTML email created by the malicious hacker.
    
    The Forms 2.0 Security Patch prevents a hacker from exploiting this
    vulnerability. Those who install the patch will not lose functionality and
    will still have the ability to manually paste content from their Clipboard
    to a Forms 2.0 Text Box or Combo Box. Developers who have built VBA
    solutions using the Forms 2.0 Control will still be able to paste into Text
    Boxes and Combo Boxes.
    
    While there have not been any reports of customers being adversely affected
    by these problems, Microsoft is releasing a patch to address any risks posed
    by this issue.
    
    Affected Software Versions
    ==========================
    The following software installs the Forms 2.0 control:
     - Microsoft Office 97
     - Microsot Outlook 98
     - Microsoft Project 98
     - Microsoft Visual Basic 5.0
     - Any third-party product that includes Visual
       Basic for Applications 5.0
    
    To determine whether you need to download and install the security fix,
    right-click the Fm20.dll file in your \Windows\System folder and choose
    Properties on the shortcut menu. If the file date of your FM20.dll file is
    earlier than January 11, 1999 (1/11/99), you should download and install the
    security fix.
    
    What Microsoft is Doing
    =======================
    Microsoft has released a patch that fixes the problem identified. This patch
    is available for download from the sites listed below in "What Customers
    Should Do".
    
    Microsoft has made information about this patch available on the Microsoft
    Office web site, and has sent information about the availability of this
    patch to ISV partners licensing VBA and registered Office users.
    
    Microsoft has sent this security bulletin to customers subscribing to the
    Microsoft Product Security Notification Service. See "Signing up for the
    Microsoft Product Security Notification Service"
    (http://www.microsoft.com/security/services/bulletin.asp) for more
    information about this free customer service.
    
    Microsoft has published the following Knowledge Base (KB) article on this
    issue:
    
     - Microsoft Knowledge Base (KB) article Q214757,
       "Forms 2.0 (Fm20*.dll) ActiveX Control Security Fix",
       http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q214/7/57.asp
    
    (Note: It might take 24 hours from the original posting of this bulletin for
    the KB article to be visible in the Web-based Knowledge Base.)
    
    What customers should do
    ========================
    
    Microsoft highly recommends that all affected customers download the patch
    to protect their computers. The complete URL for each affected software
    version is given below.
    
    Customers can obtain the patch from the free Office Update service. To
    obtain this patch using Office Update, visit the Office Update site at
    http://officeupdate.microsoft.com/downloaddetails/fm2paste.htm.
    
    More Information
    ================
    Please see the following references for more information related to this
    issue.
    
     - Patch Available for exposure in Forms 2.0 TextBox
       Control that allows data to be read from user's Clipboard
       (the Web-posted version of this bulletin),
       http://www.microsoft.com/security/bulletins/ms99-001.asp
     - Microsoft Knowledge Base (KB) article Q214757,
       "Forms 2.0 (Fm20*.dll) ActiveX Control Security Fix",
       http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q214/7/57.asp
    
    Acknowledgements
    ================
    Microsoft wishes to acknowledge Juan Carlos Garcia Cuartango of Spain for
    discovering this vulnerability and for his continued assistance and input.
    
    Obtaining Support on this Issue
    ===============================
    This is a supported patch. If you have problems installing this patch or
    require technical assistance with this patch, please contact Microsoft
    Technical Support. For information on contacting Microsoft Technical
    Support, please see
    http://support.microsoft.com/support/contact/default.asp.
    
    Revisions
    =========
     - January 21, 1999: Bulletin Created
    
    For additional security-related information about Microsoft products, please
    visit http://www.microsoft.com/security
    
    
    --------------------------------------------------------------
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    (c) 1999 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use.
    
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