MS09-010: Vulnerability in WordPad and Office text converters could allow remote code execution

Microsoft has released security bulletin MS09-010. To view the complete security bulletin, visit one of the following Microsoft Web sites:

• Home users:
  http://www.microsoft.com/protect/computer/updates/bulletins/200904.mspx (http://www.microsoft.com/protect/computer/updates/bulletins/200904.mspx)
  Skip the details: Download the updates for your home computer or laptop from the Microsoft Update Web site now:
  http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate/ (http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate/)
• IT professionals:
  http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS09-010.mspx (http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS09-010.mspx)

How to obtain help and support for this security update

Help installing updates: Support for Microsoft Update (http://support.microsoft.com/ph/6527)

Security solutions for IT professionals: TechNet Security Troubleshooting and Support (http://technet.microsoft.com/security/bb980617.aspx)

Help protect your computer that is running Windows from viruses and malware: Virus Solution and Security Center (http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/cu_sc_virsec_master)

Local support according to your country: International Support (http://support.microsoft.com/common/international.aspx)

Known issues with this security update

• Customers who have applied the workarounds that are listed in security advisory 960906 may experience errors during the installation of this security update. This may cause the update installation to fail. In order to install this security update, you must roll back the workaround before you install this security update. For more information about how to roll back the workaround, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
  923561  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/923561/ ) MS09-010: Description of the update for Windows WordPad Converter: April 14, 2009
• This security update deploys additional changes to the way that WordPad supports loading of Word 6.0 and Write files.
  
  By default, Windows XP SP2, Windows XP SP3, Windows Server 2003 SP1, and Windows Server 2003 SP2 operating systems already prevent WordPad from parsing Word 6.0 and Write documents by disabling these text converters. Additionally, this mechanism was deployed on other platforms when security update MS04-041 was installed. On these platforms, when you open a Word for Windows 6.0 document, you receive an error message that resembles the following:
  Can not load Word for Windows 6.0 files
  Write files are parsed as plain text files, but no message is shown. This behavior is described in Microsoft Knowledge Base article 870883. However, it can be disabled by an administrator by using a registry key.
  
  When you install this security update (security update 960477), this behavior is enforced more strictly. This security update adds a second dialog box so that even if this feature is disabled by using a registry key as described in Microsoft Knowledge Base article 870883, the user receives a warning message that resembles the following before the file is opened:
  Viewing this file format with Wordpad might result in a security risk. More details are available at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/923561 Are you sure you want to view this file in Wordpad?
  We recommend that users use the Word Viewer applications to view older files that can no longer be opened in WordPad. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
  891090  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/891090/ ) How to obtain the latest Word Viewer
  If an administrator requires the Word 6 and Write converters, the EnableLegacyConverters registry entry with a DWORD value of 1 can be used to re-enable the converter. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit in the Open box, and then click OK.
  2. Locate and then click the following subkey in the registry:
     HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Wordpad
  3. On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.
  4. Type EnableLegacyConverters for the name of the DWORD, and then press ENTER.
  5. Right-click EnableLegacyConverters, and then click Modify.
  6. In the Value data box, type 1, and then click OK.
  7. Exit Registry Editor.
  After you set this registry key value, WordPad can open Word 6.0 and Write files. However, the user will still receive the warning message. If the user clicks Yes, WordPad opens the file. If the user clicks No, which is recommended, WordPad exits, and the document does not open.
  
  An additional registry entry can be used to allow for WordPad to open the files without this additional warning message. We do not recommend that you implement this entry. However, it can be used if user behavior should not change after you install this security update. To do this, add the EnableLegacyConvertersNoPopup registry DWORD with a value of 1 to the following subkey:
  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Wordpad
  This registry entry works only if the EnableLegacyConverters entry is also enabled.

Additional information about this security update

For more information about this security update, and for information about any known issues with specific releases of this software, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

The English (United States) version of this software update installs files that have the attributes that are listed in the following tables. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The dates and times for these files on your local computer are displayed in your local time and with your current daylight saving time (DST) bias. Additionally, the dates and times may change when you perform certain operations on the files.

For all supported versions of Office 2000

For all supported versions of Office XP

For the Office 2003 File Converter Pack

Msconv.msp

Ocpgpflt.msp

The English (United States) version of this software update installs files that have the attributes that are listed in the following tables. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The dates and times for these files on your local computer are displayed in your local time and with your current daylight saving time (DST) bias. Additionally, the dates and times may change when you perform certain operations on the files.

Windows 2000 file information

For all supported versions of Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4

Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 file information

• The files that apply to a specific milestone (RTM, SPn) and service branch (QFE, GDR) are noted in the "SP requirement" and "Service branch" columns.
• GDR service branches contain only those fixes that are widely released to address widespread, critical issues. QFE service branches contain hotfixes in addition to widely released fixes.
• In addition to the files that are listed in these tables, this software update also installs an associated security catalog file (KBnumber.cat) that is signed with a Microsoft digital signature.

For all supported x86-based versions of Windows XP

For all supported x64-based versions of Windows Server 2003 and of Windows XP Professional x64 edition

For all supported x86-based versions of Windows Server 2003

For all supported IA-64-based versions of Windows Server 2003