No problems with Outlook 2000 SR-1 (9.0.0.3821) running on Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP6a (build 1381) with IE 5.01 SP2 (5.00.3314.2101) and the following hotfixes installed: Q147222, Q246009, Q249973, Q252463, Q299444. Although, if I have the message open and go under Format and change it to "Plain Text", the asterisks show up (as expected). The strange thing is that it puts a ">" at the beginning of each line that was previously invisible. -Jason -----Original Message----- From: Kayne Ian (Softlab) [mailto:Ian.Kayneat_private] Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2001 10:19 AM To: Vuln-Dev Subject: Outlook makes 99% CPU Usage with this message Hey all, This is a strange one. I've been hashing this about for a while, and come up with the following. In the attached zip is a message saved out in Outlook normal message format. You can open, read, close, forward etc this message absolutely fine. But when you try and click reply, it immediately sends Outlook to 100% CPU usage, and it doesn't come back. I have no idea why, but it seems to be outlook getting confused with the message body - if you hex the .msg file you'll see 2 lines of asterixes that are not displayed (and no, it's not cause they are white text on white background, you should still be able to highlight them, but they just arent there). Now, this crashes my Outlook every time. Thats Outlook 2k v9.0.0.3821 running on Win2k Pro. It's crashed a few other ppls outlooks, but strangely on some Outlooks (same version as mine) it has no effect. I'm wondering if it's to do with a certain combination of patches etc installed. So, 2 things for you guys. Firstly, do the following: 1. Exit outlook 2. Unzip the .msg file from the zip 3. Load outlook 4. Double click the .msg file from explorer or somwhere 5. Click the Reply button It should crash Outlook immediately. The Exit/Load outlook thing is important. Secondly, if that doesn't crash, see if you can see 2 rows of *'s around the disclaimer. If you save the message as rtf or plain text, or hex dump the .msg the asterixes are there. But not when you view the message in Outlook. I have no idea of the format of a .msg file, so maybe someone else with more experience with this stuff can help? Anyway, I can't garantee it will work, and that it's not just my machines being screwy. But if it does work, and maybe if it's exploitable, it's pretty damn nasty. An invisible exploit in a plain message with no attachment that only needs a click on Reply to work? Ouch. Ian Kayne Technical Specialist - IT Solutions Softlab Ltd - A BMW Company <<Test.zip>> ******************************************************************** This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you are not the intended recipient or the person responsible for delivering to the intended recipient, be advised that you have received this email in error and that any use of the information contained within this email or attachments is strictly prohibited. Internet communications are not secure and Softlab does not accept any legal responsibility for the content of this message. Any opinions expressed in the email are those of the individual and not necessarily those of the Company. If you have received this email in error, or if you are concerned with the content of this email please notify the IT helpdesk by telephone on +44 (0)121 788 5480. ********************************************************************
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Wed Aug 29 2001 - 13:12:33 PDT