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Microsoft Security Bulletin (MS99-052)
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Patch Available for "Legacy Credential Caching" Vulnerability
Originally Posted: November 29, 1999
Summary
=======
Microsoft has released a patch that eliminates a security vulnerability in
Microsoft(r) Windows(r) 95 and 98 caused by a legacy mechanism for caching
network security credentials. The vulnerability could allow a user's
plaintext network password to be retrieved from the cache.
Frequently asked questions regarding this vulnerability can be found at
http://www.microsoft.com/security/bulletins/MS99-052faq.asp.
Issue
=====
Windows for Workgroups(r) provided a RAM-based caching mechanism that cached
the user's plaintext network credentials for use by real-mode command-line
networking utilities. Part of this mechanism was carried forward into the
Windows 95 and 98 designs, even though it is not used by either. A
malicious user could query this mechanism to obtain the network credentials
of the last person to use the machine for network access, as long as they
had physical access to the machine and it had not been rebooted since the
last networking session.
Affected Software Versions
==========================
- Microsoft Windows 95
- Microsoft Windows 98
Patch Availability
==================
- Windows 95:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows95/downloads/
contents/WUCritical/password/default.asp
- Windows 98:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows98/downloads/
contents/WUCritical/password/default.asp
NOTE: Line breaks have been inserted into the above URLs for readability.
NOTE: Windows 98 Second Edition is not affected by this vulnerability.
More Information
================
Please see the following references for more information related to this
issue.
- Microsoft Security Bulletin MS99-052: Frequently Asked Questions,
http://www.microsoft.com/security/bulletins/MS99-052faq.asp.
- Microsoft Knowledge Base (KB) article Q168115,
Windows Security Update Prevents Reading Domain Password,
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q168/1/15.asp.
(Note: It may take 24 hours from the original posting of this bulletin
for this KB article to be visible.)
- Microsoft Security Advisor web site,
http://www.microsoft.com/security/default.asp.
Obtaining Support on this Issue
===============================
This is a fully supported patch. Information on contacting Microsoft
Technical Support is available at
http://support.microsoft.com/support/contact/default.asp.
Revisions
=========
- November 29, 1999: Bulletin Created.
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