Microsoft Excel XLM Macro Security Level Bypass Vulnerability

BID:9010

Info

Microsoft Excel XLM Macro Security Level Bypass Vulnerability

Bugtraq ID: 9010
Class: Failure to Handle Exceptional Conditions
CVE: CVE-2003-0821
Remote: Yes
Local: No
Published: Nov 11 2003 12:00AM
Updated: Jul 12 2009 12:56AM
Credit: Discovery of this vulnerability has been credited to Kazuyuki Housaka.
Vulnerable: Microsoft Excel 97 SR2
Microsoft Excel 97 SR1
Microsoft Excel 97
+ Microsoft Office 97
- Microsoft Windows 95
- Microsoft Windows 98
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0
Microsoft Excel 2002 SP2
+ Microsoft Office XP SP2
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP3
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP2
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP1
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
- Microsoft Windows 98
- Microsoft Windows 98SE
- Microsoft Windows ME
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP6a
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP6
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP5
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP4
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP3
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP2
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP1
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0
- Microsoft Windows XP Home SP1
- Microsoft Windows XP Home
- Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP1
- Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Microsoft Excel 2002 SP1
+ Microsoft Office XP SP1
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP2
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP1
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server SP2
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server SP1
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP2
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP1
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP2
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP1
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Terminal Services SP2
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Terminal Services SP1
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Terminal Services
- Microsoft Windows 98
- Microsoft Windows 98SE
- Microsoft Windows ME
- Microsoft Windows NT Enterprise Server 4.0 SP6a
- Microsoft Windows NT Enterprise Server 4.0 SP6
- Microsoft Windows NT Enterprise Server 4.0 SP5
- Microsoft Windows NT Enterprise Server 4.0 SP4
- Microsoft Windows NT Enterprise Server 4.0 SP3
- Microsoft Windows NT Enterprise Server 4.0 SP2
- Microsoft Windows NT Enterprise Server 4.0 SP1
- Microsoft Windows NT Enterprise Server 4.0
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP6a
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP6
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP5
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP4
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP3
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP2
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP1
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0
- Microsoft Windows NT Terminal Server 4.0 SP6
- Microsoft Windows NT Terminal Server 4.0 SP5
- Microsoft Windows NT Terminal Server 4.0 SP4
- Microsoft Windows NT Terminal Server 4.0 SP3
- Microsoft Windows NT Terminal Server 4.0 SP2
- Microsoft Windows NT Terminal Server 4.0 SP1
- Microsoft Windows NT Terminal Server 4.0
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP6a
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP6
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP5
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP4
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP3
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP2
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP1
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0
- Microsoft Windows XP Home
- Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Microsoft Excel 2002
+ Microsoft Office XP
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP2
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP1
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
- Microsoft Windows 95 SR2
- Microsoft Windows 95
- Microsoft Windows 98
- Microsoft Windows 98SE
- Microsoft Windows ME
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP6a
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP5
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP4
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP3
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP2
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP1
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0
Microsoft Excel 2000 SR1
+ Microsoft Office 2000 SP1
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP2
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP1
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server SP2
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server SP1
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP2
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP1
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP2
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP1
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Terminal Services SP2
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Terminal Services SP1
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Terminal Services
- Microsoft Windows 95
- Microsoft Windows 98
- Microsoft Windows 98SE
- Microsoft Windows ME
- Microsoft Windows NT Enterprise Server 4.0 SP6a
- Microsoft Windows NT Enterprise Server 4.0 SP6
- Microsoft Windows NT Enterprise Server 4.0 SP5
- Microsoft Windows NT Enterprise Server 4.0 SP4
- Microsoft Windows NT Enterprise Server 4.0 SP3
- Microsoft Windows NT Enterprise Server 4.0 SP2
- Microsoft Windows NT Enterprise Server 4.0 SP1
- Microsoft Windows NT Enterprise Server 4.0
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP6a
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP6
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP5
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP4
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP3
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP2
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP1
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0
- Microsoft Windows NT Terminal Server 4.0 SP6
- Microsoft Windows NT Terminal Server 4.0 SP5
- Microsoft Windows NT Terminal Server 4.0 SP4
- Microsoft Windows NT Terminal Server 4.0 SP3
- Microsoft Windows NT Terminal Server 4.0 SP2
- Microsoft Windows NT Terminal Server 4.0 SP1
- Microsoft Windows NT Terminal Server 4.0
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP6a
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP6
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP5
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP4
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP3
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP2
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP1
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0
Microsoft Excel 2000 SP3
+ Microsoft Office 2000 SP3
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP3
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP2
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP1
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
- Microsoft Windows 98
- Microsoft Windows 98SE
- Microsoft Windows ME
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP6a
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP6
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP5
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP4
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP3
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP2
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP1
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0
- Microsoft Windows XP Home SP1
- Microsoft Windows XP Home
- Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP1
- Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Microsoft Excel 2000 SP2
+ Microsoft Office 2000 SP2
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP2
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP1
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server SP2
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server SP1
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP2
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP1
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP2
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP1
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Terminal Services SP2
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Terminal Services SP1
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Terminal Services
- Microsoft Windows 95
- Microsoft Windows 98
- Microsoft Windows 98SE
- Microsoft Windows ME
- Microsoft Windows NT Enterprise Server 4.0 SP6a
- Microsoft Windows NT Enterprise Server 4.0 SP6
- Microsoft Windows NT Enterprise Server 4.0 SP5
- Microsoft Windows NT Enterprise Server 4.0 SP4
- Microsoft Windows NT Enterprise Server 4.0 SP3
- Microsoft Windows NT Enterprise Server 4.0 SP2
- Microsoft Windows NT Enterprise Server 4.0 SP1
- Microsoft Windows NT Enterprise Server 4.0
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP6a
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP6
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP5
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP4
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP3
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP2
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP1
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0
- Microsoft Windows NT Terminal Server 4.0 SP6
- Microsoft Windows NT Terminal Server 4.0 SP5
- Microsoft Windows NT Terminal Server 4.0 SP4
- Microsoft Windows NT Terminal Server 4.0 SP3
- Microsoft Windows NT Terminal Server 4.0 SP2
- Microsoft Windows NT Terminal Server 4.0 SP1
- Microsoft Windows NT Terminal Server 4.0
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP6a
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP6
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP5
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP4
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP3
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP2
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP1
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0
Microsoft Excel 2000
+ Microsoft Office 2000
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP2
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP1
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
- Microsoft Windows 95
- Microsoft Windows 98
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP6a
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP6
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP5
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP4
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP3
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP2
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP1
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0
Not Vulnerable: Microsoft Excel 2003
+ Microsoft Office 2003 0

Discussion

Microsoft Excel XLM Macro Security Level Bypass Vulnerability

A vulnerability has been reported to affect Microsoft Excel that could be exploited by an attacker to execute an XLM macro regardless of the macro security level. The issue has been reported to present itself due to a failure by Excel to sufficiently scan a malicious spreadsheet file before opening it. As a result of this failure an XLM macro embedded in a malicious spreadsheet will be executed when the document is opened, without Excel presenting a macro security warning and regardless of Excel macro security settings.

Exploit / POC

Microsoft Excel XLM Macro Security Level Bypass Vulnerability

Currently we are not aware of any exploits for this issue. If you feel we are in error or are aware of more recent information, please mail us at: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>.

Solution / Fix

Microsoft Excel XLM Macro Security Level Bypass Vulnerability

Solution:
Microsoft has released a security bulletin (MS03-050) and fixes to address this issue. Users who are potentially affected by this vulnerability are advised to apply these fixes as soon as possible.


Microsoft Excel 97 SR2

Microsoft Excel 2000 SP3

Microsoft Excel 2002 SP2

References

Microsoft Excel XLM Macro Security Level Bypass Vulnerability

References:

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