====================================================================== Secunia Research 10/06/2009 - Microsoft PowerPoint Freelance Layout Parsing Vulnerability - ====================================================================== Table of Contents Affected Software....................................................1 Severity.............................................................2 Vendor's Description of Software.....................................3 Description of Vulnerability.........................................4 Solution.............................................................5 Time Table...........................................................6 Credits..............................................................7 References...........................................................8 About Secunia........................................................9 Verification........................................................10 ====================================================================== 1) Affected Software * Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2000 * Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2002 NOTE: Other versions may also be affected. ====================================================================== 2) Severity Rating: Moderately critical Impact: System compromise Where: Remote ====================================================================== 3) Vendor's Description of Software "Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007 enables users to quickly create high-impact, dynamic presentations, while integrating workflow and ways to easily share information. From the Microsoft Office Fluent user interface to the new graphics and formatting capabilities, Office PowerPoint 2007 puts the control in your hands to create great-looking presentations.". Product Link: http://office.microsoft.com/powerpoint ====================================================================== 4) Description of Vulnerability Secunia Research has discovered a vulnerability in Microsoft PowerPoint, which can be exploited by malicious people to compromise a user's system. The vulnerability is caused by an array-indexing error in the Microsoft PowerPoint Freelance Windows 2.1 Translator (FL21WIN.DLL) when parsing layout information and can be exploited to cause a heap-based buffer overflow. Successful exploitation allows execution of arbitrary code. NOTE: On systems with MS09-017 applied, support for Freelance files is disabled by default, but can be re-enabled via a key in the registry. ====================================================================== 5) Solution Microsoft states that no fix will be issued. However, installations with MS09-017 applied block opening of Freelance files by default. Users having enabled Freelance file support should not open Freelance files from untrusted sources. ====================================================================== 6) Time Table 22/05/2009 - Vendor notified. 23/05/2009 - Vendor response. 03/06/2009 - Vendor informs that no security bulletin will be issued as Freelance files are blocked by default after applying MS09-017. 04/06/2009 - Vendor informed that Secunia agrees that a new security bulletin is not required. It is, however, recommended to update MS09-017 to inform users that Freelance support has been disabled by default and should not be re-enabled as the translator is affected by a critical vulnerability. 10/06/2009 - Public disclosure. ====================================================================== 7) Credits Discovered by Carsten Eiram, Secunia Research. ====================================================================== 8) References The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) project has assigned CVE-2009-0202 for the vulnerability. ====================================================================== 9) About Secunia Secunia offers vulnerability management solutions to corporate customers with verified and reliable vulnerability intelligence relevant to their specific system configuration: http://secunia.com/advisories/business_solutions/ Secunia also provides a publicly accessible and comprehensive advisory database as a service to the security community and private individuals, who are interested in or concerned about IT-security. http://secunia.com/advisories/ Secunia believes that it is important to support the community and to do active vulnerability research in order to aid improving the security and reliability of software in general: http://secunia.com/secunia_research/ Secunia regularly hires new skilled team members. Check the URL below to see currently vacant positions: http://secunia.com/corporate/jobs/ Secunia offers a FREE mailing list called Secunia Security Advisories: http://secunia.com/advisories/mailing_lists/ ====================================================================== 10) Verification Please verify this advisory by visiting the Secunia website: http://secunia.com/secunia_research/2009-29/ Complete list of vulnerability reports published by Secunia Research: http://secunia.com/secunia_research/ ======================================================================