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August Microsoft Bulletin

Microsoft Security Bulletin MS12-043 Critical

Version: 2.0

General Information

Executive Summary

This security update resolves a publicly disclosed vulnerability in Microsoft XML Core Services. The vulnerability could allow remote code execution if a user views a specially crafted webpage using Internet Explorer. An attacker would have no way to force users to visit such a website. Instead, an attacker would have to convince users to visit the website, typically by getting them to click a link in an email message or Instant Messenger message that takes the user to the attacker's website.

This security update is rated Critical for Microsoft XML Core Services 3.0, 4.0, and 6.0 on all supported editions of Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7 and is rated Moderate on all supported editions of Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2008 R2; it is also rated Critical for Microsoft XML Core Services 5.0 for all supported editions of Microsoft Office 2003, Microsoft Office 2007, Microsoft Office Word Viewer, Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack, Microsoft Expression Web, Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007, and Microsoft Groove Server 2007. For more information, see the subsection, Affected and Non-Affected Software, in this section.

The security update addresses the vulnerability by modifying the way that MSXML initializes objects in memory before use. For more information about the vulnerability, see the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) subsection for the specific vulnerability entry under the next section, Vulnerability Information.

This security update also addresses the vulnerability first described in Microsoft Security Advisory 2719615.

Recommendation. The majority of customers have automatic updating enabled and will not need to take any action because this security update will be downloaded and installed automatically. Customers who have not enabled automatic updating need to check for updates and install this update manually. For information about specific configuration options in automatic updating, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 294871.

For administrators and enterprise installations, or end users who want to install this security update manually, Microsoft recommends that customers apply the update immediately using update management software, or by checking for updates using the Microsoft Update service.

See also the section, Detection and Deployment Tools and Guidance, later in this bulletin.

Known Issues. None

Got to http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/security/bulletin/ms12-043 for a list of affected and non-affected software.

August, 14 2012