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Vulnerabilities in Office Excel Could Allow Remote Code Execution.
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| Details | |
|---|---|
| Vulnerability name/brief description | Vulnerabilities in Office Excel Could Allow Remote Code Execution (968557) - MS09-009 |
| CVE/CAN name | |
| Vendor threat level | Critical |
| SophosLabs threat level | High |
| Solution | Users are advised to apply the vendor patch MS09-009 |
| Vendor description | This security update resolves a privately reported and a publicly disclosed vulnerability. The vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution if the user opens a specially crafted Excel file. An attacker who successfully exploited these vulnerabilities could take complete control of an affected system. |
| SophosLabs comments | Both of the vulnerabilities addressed in this Microsoft update are associated with the opening of Excel files, making it a particular target for use in malicious email attachments. Given that one of these vulnerabilities is already publicly disclosed it is quite likely that we will see attacks centred around this exploit in the coming weeks. |
| SophosLabs testing result | None |
| Currently known exploits | At the time of writing SophosLabs has seen no samples of malware or web-content attempting to exploit this vulnerability. Should this situation change samples will be analyzed and we will take action as necessary. |
| First sample seen | N/A |
| Discovery date | 14 April 2009 |
| Affected software | Microsoft Office 2000, Service Pack 3 Microsoft Office XP, Service Pack 3 Microsoft Office 2003, Service Pack 3 Microsoft Office 2007, System Service Pack 1 Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac Microsoft Office Excel Viewer 2003, Service pack 3 Microsoft Office Excel Viewer Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel and Powerpoint 2007 File Formats, Service Pack 1 |
| References | http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms09-009.mspx |
| Credits | Microsoft MAPP Program |
| Revisions | 14 April 2009 - initial analysis written |
Explanation of terms
Vulnerability Name/Brief Description:
Vendor identifier plus a brief description of the type of attack.
CVE/CAN Name:
Currently assigned CVE name. If a CVE name doesn't exist the CAN name will be used until a CVE has been assigned.
Vendor Threat Level:
Threat level assigned by the vendor
SophosLabs Threat Level:
Threat level assigned by SophosLabs
- LOW RISK - There is little chance of this vulnerability being actively exploited by malware.
- MEDIUM RISK - There is a possibility of this vulnerability being actively exploited by malware.
- HIGH RISK - There is a strong possibility of this vulnerability being actively exploited by malware.
- CRITICAL RISK - This vulnerability will almost certainly be actively exploited by malware.
Solution:
Vendor-supplied Patch identifier and recommended solution, or workaround if applicable.
Vendor Description:
Summary of the cause and potential effect of the vulnerability provided by the vendor.
SophosLabs Comments:
SophosLabs' opinions and observations of the vulnerability in question.
SophosLabs Testing Result:
Details of completed lab testing, if applicable. Please note that the lab test environment may differ significantly from user environments.
Currently Known Exploits:
List of identities for known exploits, if applicable.
First Sample Seen:
Date of the first sample seen by SophosLabs.
Discovery Date:
Date of the earliest known publically disclosed advisory.
Affected Software:
Vulnerable platforms and software versions.
If you need more information or guidance, then please contact technical support.
- Article ID: 56893
- Created: 14 Apr 2009
- Last updated: 14 Apr 2009
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