Patch for "HyperTerminal Buffer Overflow" Vulnerability in Windows 98, Windows Me

View products that this article applies to.

This article was previously published under Q274548

SYMPTOMS

There is a potential security vulnerability in the HyperTerminal program that is included with Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, and Windows Millennium Edition (Me). A buffer-overflow vulnerability in this program could potentially allow arbitrary code to be run on a user's computer.

For additional information about this vulnerability, see the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS00-079.mspx (http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS00-079.mspx)

For a list of frequently asked questions about this vulnerability, see the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/fq00-079.mspx (http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/fq00-079.mspx)

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CAUSE

For this problem to occur, a malicious user would have to to convince a user to open an HTML document that contains a malformed Telnet address (URL).

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RESOLUTION

A supported fix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Apply it only to computers that are experiencing this specific problem.

To resolve this problem immediately, download the fix by clicking the download link later in this article or contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the fix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;en-us;cntactms)

NOTE: In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.

The following files are available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:

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Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition

English (U.S.):

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Download 274548usa8.exe now (http://download.microsoft.com/download/win98/update/12395/w98/en-us/274548usa8.exe)

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Windows Me

English (U.S.):

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Download 274548usam.exe now (http://download.microsoft.com/download/winme/update/12395/winme/en-us/274548usam.exe)

Release Date: May-24-2001

For additional information about how to download Microsoft Support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

119591 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/119591/EN-US/ ) How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online Services

Microsoft scanned this file for viruses. Microsoft used the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help to prevent any unauthorized changes to the file. The English version of this fix should have the following file attributes or later:

   Date      Time     Version     Size     File name     Operating system
   ----------------------------------------------------------------------
   04/10/01  10:07am  5.0.0.0      20,524  Hypertrm.exe  Windows 98, 
                                                         Windows 98 
                                                         Second Edition
   04/10/01  10:07am  5.0.0.0     426,031  Hypertrm.dll  Windows 98,
                                                         Windows 98 
                                                         Second Edition
   04/09/01  11:32am  5.0.1636.1   36,910  Hticons.dll   Windows 98,
                                                         Windows 98 
                                                         Second Edition
   04/10/01  10:07am  5.0.0.0      20,524  Hypertrm.exe  Windows Me
   04/10/01  10:07am  5.0.0.0     426,031  Hypertrm.dll  Windows Me
   04/09/01  11:32am  5.0.1636.1   36,910  Hticons.dll   Windows Me

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STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

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MORE INFORMATION

The HyperTerminal program is included in all versions of Windows 98, Windows Me, Microsoft Windows NT 4.0, and Microsoft Windows 2000.

For additional information about this issue in Microsoft Windows 2000, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

276471 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/276471/EN-US/ ) Patch for 'HyperTerminal Buffer Overflow' Vulnerability in Windows 2000

For additional information about Windows Me hotfixes, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

295413 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/295413/EN-US/ ) General Information About Windows Millennium Edition Hotfixes

For additional information about Windows 98 and Windows 98 Second Edition hotfixes, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

206071 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/206071/EN-US/ ) General Information About Windows 98 and Windows 98 Second Edition Hotfixes

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