NTLM Password Change Fails When Password Contains an Ampersand (&)

ID: Q238631

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Internet Information Server version 4.0

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to change an expired Windows NT password in Internet Information Server (IIS) 4.0 and you use an ampersand (&) in the new password, the password does not change, even though you receive the following message after completing the password change form:

The operation completed successfully

"Password changed successfully" is returned when a password change is successful. The ampersand is a valid password character in Windows NT.

CAUSE

The parsing code in Ism.dll assumes the following sequence:

VARIABLE=VALUE&

When you use an ampersand (&) in the password, a sequence of one or more ampersands is created before an equal sign (=). For example, old password=password& will work correctly, but new password=m&m& will not.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT 4.0 or the individual software update. For information on obtaining the latest service pack, please go to:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/servicepacks/

Q152734 How to Obtain the Latest Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack

For information on obtaining the individual software update, contact Microsoft Product Support Services. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information on support costs, please go to the following address on the World Wide Web:

http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/overview/overview.asp

NOTE: The IIS 4.0 Windows NT Workstation and Windows 95/98 fixes will have different file properties.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Internet Information Server 4.0. This problem was first corrected in Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 6.

MORE INFORMATION

Another symptom that has been seen is the Inetinfo process spinning at 100 percent CPU utilization.

Additional query words: percent peg max

Keywords : NT4SP6Fix
Version : winnt:4.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbbug