Alert (TA07-009A)

Systems Affected

• Microsoft Windows
• Microsoft Internet Explorer
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft Excel for Windows and Mac OS X

Overview

Microsoft has released updates that address critical vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows, Internet Explorer, Outlook, and Excel. Exploitation of these vulnerabilities could allow a remote, unauthenticated attacker to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service on a vulnerable system.

Description

Microsoft has released updates to address vulnerabilities that affect Microsoft Windows, Internet Explorer, Outlook, and Excel as part of the Microsoft Security Bulletin Summary for January 2007. The most severe vulnerabilities could allow a remote, unauthenticated attacker to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service on a vulnerable system.

Note that both Windows and Mac OS X versions of Excel are affected by the vulnerabilities described in Microsoft Security Bulletin MS07-002.

Further information about the vulnerabilities addressed by these updates is available in the Vulnerability Notes Database.

Impact

A remote, unauthenticated attacker could execute arbitrary code on a vulnerable system. An attacker may also be able to cause a denial of service.

Solution

Apply updates from Microsoft

Microsoft has provided updates for these vulnerabilities in the January 2007 Security Bulletins. The Security Bulletins describe any known issues related to the updates. Note any known issues described in the Bulletins and test for any potentially adverse affects in your environment.

System administrators may wish to consider using an automated patch distribution system such as Windows Server Update Services (WSUS).

References

• US-CERT Vulnerability Notes for Microsoft January 2007 updates - http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/byid?searchview&query=ms07-jan
• Securing Your Web Browser - http://www.us-cert.gov/reading_room/securing_browser/
• Microsoft Security Bulletin Summary for January 2007 - http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms07-jan.mspx
• Microsoft Update - https://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate/
• Microsoft Office Update - http://officeupdate.microsoft.com/
• Windows Server Update Services - http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/updateservices/default.mspx

Revision History

• January 9, 2007: Initial release
  

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