Special Alert - Office News Service (fwd)

From: Jon Katz (jkatzat_private)
Date: Tue Aug 24 1999 - 18:05:06 PDT

  • Next message: Aleph One: "Microsoft Security Bulletin (MS99-029)"

    Aleph1, have you forwarded this to the list yet?
    
    ---------- Forwarded message ----------
    Date: Tue, 24 Aug 1999 18:20:26 -0700
    From: Microsoft <Microsoft_014525at_private>
    To: jkatzat_private
    Subject: Special Alert - Office News Service
    
    This special edition of the Office News Service is to inform you about the
    availability of a patch for the Excel "ODBC Driver" vulnerability recently
    reported to Microsoft.  To cancel your subscription to the Office News
    Service, reply to this e-mail with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the Subject
    Line.  To stop receiving all newsletter e-mail from Microsoft.com, reply
    to this e-mail with the word STOPMAIL in the Subject Line.
    
    On July 27, 1999, Microsoft became aware of a security issue involving the
    ODBC database driver that is installed as a part of Excel 97.  It is
    possible that a malicious coder could create an Excel 97 spreadsheet that
    exploits a vulnerability in this database driver to delete files and
    perform other malicious acts.  A user could encounter this problem by
    opening a spreadsheet attached to an e-mail message or linked from a Web
    site.
    
    In the course of producing the solution to this security issue, Microsoft
    testing became aware of a separate vulnerability in the ODBC database
    driver that may affect Excel 2000 users.  This vulnerability is related to
    the IISAM component of the ODBC database driver and could be exploited
    using an Excel 2000 query to perform malicious acts similar to those
    described in Excel 97 "ODBC Driver" Vulnerability.  Microsoft has produced
    a solution to this specific vulnerability and incorporated it into this
    update.
    
    Now available for download, the following update addresses the Excel "ODBC
    Driver" Vulnerability:
    http://officeupdate.microsoft.com/Articles/mdac_typ.htm There, you will
    see your download options in the Table of Contents area of the page.*
    
    The patch updates the Jet 3.51 and the IISAM component of the ODBC
    database driver, which eliminates the vulnerability that could be
    exploited to perform malicious acts, such as deleting files on a user's
    machine.  This update also includes the previously released Office
    Document Open Confirmation Tool that prompts Office users for confirmation
    when opening Office documents (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or Access)
    launched from within Internet Explorer.  While this update was designed
    specifically for Microsoft Office users, it may be safely used to update
    Microsoft Jet 3.51 [4.0] files without the presence of Office files.
    
    Microsoft recommends that all Office 97/2000 and Excel 97/2000 users
    update their systems with this security update.
    
    If you experience any problems with this download or the Office Update
    site, please consult the following support page for assistance:
    http://officeupdate.microsoft.com/Articles/ousupport.htm
    
    Thank you very much for your attention.
    
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    * Please note that for any download, connect-time charges may apply.
    
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    Microsoft and PowerPoint are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.  Other product and company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
    
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      Sent to: jkatzat_private
    
    



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