MS15-038: Description of the security update for Windows: April 14, 2015

Summary

This security update resolves vulnerabilities in Windows. These vulnerabilities could allow elevation of privilege if an attacker logs on to the system and runs a specially crafted application. To exploit the vulnerabilities, an attacker would first have to log on to the system. This security update addresses the vulnerabilities by correcting how Windows validates impersonation events. For more information about the vulnerabilities, see the "More Information" section.

Introduction

Microsoft has released security bulletin MS15-038. To learn more about this security bulletin:

• Home users:

  https:⁠//www.microsoft.com/security/pc-security/updates.aspx Skip the details: Download the updates for your home computer or laptop from the Microsoft Update website now:

  https:⁠//update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate/

• IT professionals:

  https:⁠//technet.microsoft.com/library/security/MS15-038

How to obtain help and support for this security update

Help installing updates:
Support for Microsoft Update

Security solutions for IT professionals:
TechNet Security Troubleshooting and Support

Help protect your Windows-based computer from viruses and malware:
Virus Solution and Security Center

Local support according to your country:
International Support

More Information

Known issues with this security update

• After you install this security update in Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2012 R2, applications that call Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) APIs directly, or that call APIs that rely on WMI (such as the ManagementEventWatcher class) do not receive the correct status of the process (regardless of whether the process is running or not running).

  Solution
  To resolve this issue, install hotfix 3094199.

• After you install this security update in x64-based versions of Windows 7 or on Windows Server 2008 R2 systems that have McAfee Data Loss Prevention Endpoint (DLP Endpoint) 9.3.x installed, some programs may intermittently fail to start. When this problem occurs, you may receive an error message that resembles the following: 
   

  Note

  The application was unable to start correctly (0xc0000018). Click OK to close the application.

  The affected programs include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Cmd.exe
  • Explorer.exe
  • Internet Explorer
  • MMC-based applications
  • Windows PowerShell

  This problem may occur intermittently between restarts when the DLL is dynamically registered in different address spaces.

  WorkaroundContact the vendor of the enterprise security suite for more information about how to work around this problem.

  Note We do not recommend that you uninstall any security update.

  The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, about the performance or reliability of these products.
  For more information about consumer security software providers, visit the following Windows website:

  Consumer security software providers

File information

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.