Administrators Can Display Contents of Service Account Passwords

ID: Q184017

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.51, 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.51, 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition version 4.0
  • Microsoft BackOffice Small Business Server version 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0, Terminal Server Edition

SYMPTOMS

A program is available on the Internet that allows a local Administrator, with full control of a Windows NT system, to use APIs published in the Win32 software development kit (SDK) for Windows NT to display the contents of security information stored by the Local Security Authority (LSA) in a form called LSA Secrets. LSA Secrets are used to store information such as the passwords for service accounts used to start services under an account other than local System.


CAUSE

This is by design. Members of the local Administrators groups are trusted users that have the ability to access any information that can also be accessed by the operating system itself.


RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT 4.0 or Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q152734 How to Obtain the Latest Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack

The updates in this Windows NT 4.0 hotfix provide the following additional protection for the LSA Secret data:

  • Additional encryption for the LSA Secrets, which provides protection for this information when stored on backup tapes, the Emergency Repair Disk, or other registry backups. For maximum protection, you should also enable the System Key option. For information on System Key (Syskey.exe) functionality, please refer to the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    ARTICLE-ID: Q143475
    TITLE : Windows NT System Key Permits Strong Encryption of the SAM


  • The value of the LSA private data is not returned to remote clients over the network.


  • Calls to the Win32 APIs will not return LSA private data used for service accounts and other system components to unauthorized applications (non-system components).


  • This update includes a change to the privilege needed to open the Security Event log. Applications that open this log on systems running with this update installed fail unless the security privilege (SE_SECURITY_NAME) is enabled.


For more information on this change, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
ARTICLE-ID: Q188855
TITLE : Security Privilege Must be Enabled to View Security Event Log

Before You Apply The Hotfix

Because this hotfix makes a modification to the on-disk storage of the LSA data information, Microsoft does not recommend that it be uninstalled. Perform the following steps to ease the transition back to a pre-LSA2-fix configuration in case you experience problems with the hotfix:

  1. Perform a Full System Backup.


  2. Run Rdisk /s. Using the /s command-line switch with Rdisk.exe causes the Sam._ and Security._ databases to be copied to the %Systemroot%\Repair folder.


  3. Create a temporary folder under the %Systemroot% folder called Lsabackout.


  4. Copy the following files from the %Systemroot\System32 folder to the %Systemroot%\Lsabackout folder as they are updated by LSA2-fix:

    Eventlog.dll
    Lsasrv.dll
    Msaudite.dll
    Msv1_0.dll
    Netcfg.dll
    Samlib.dll
    Samsrv.dll
    Services.exe
    Srvmgr.exe
    Xactsrv.dll


  5. Create an updated Emergency Repair Disk (ERD) which updates the on-disk SAM and Registry information in the %Systemroot%\System32\Config folder.


NOTE: This hotfix supersedes the fix referred to in the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: Q154087
TITLE : Access Violation in LSASS.EXE Due to Incorrect Buffer Size

ARTICLE-ID: Q174205
TITLE : LSASS May Use a Large Amount of Memory on a Domain Controller

ARTICLE-ID: Q129457
TITLE : Anonymous Connections May Be Able to Obtain the Password Policy

This hotfix has been posted as Lsa2fixi.exe (x86) and Lsa2fixa.exe (Alpha).For your convenience, the English version of this post-SP3 hotfix has been posted to the following Internet location. However, Microsoft recommends that you install Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4 to correct this problem.

NOTE: An updated version of this hotfix was posted on July 20, 1998 and provides an additional security level to systems running Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 3.

ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/bussys/winnt/winnt-public/fixes/usa/NT40/hotfixes-postSP3/lsa2-fix/

NOTE: The above link is one path; it has been wrapped for readability.

If you run Systems Management Server on systems where this hotfix is applied, the SNMP Event Log Extension Agent (Snmpelea) generates the following Event ID 3007 error:

Error opening event log file Security.
Log will not be processed.
Return code from OpenEventLog is 1314.


The SNMP Event Log Extension Agent requires an update to manage the security event log. To resolve the SNMP Event Log Extension Agent problem, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: Q183770
TITLE : SMS: Snmpelea Unable to Open Security Event Log

Windows NT 3.51

A hotfix for Windows NT 3.51 is not available at this time.


MORE INFORMATION

If you experience problems with this hotfix, perform the following steps to restore the system to its original configuration before applying the hotfix:

  1. Perform a full system backup including the registry. This backup set should only be necessary if the following steps fail.


  2. Rename the following files the %Systemroot%\System32 folder that were replaced by the hotfix:

    Eventlog.dll
    Lsasrv.dll
    Msaudite.dll
    Msv1_0.dll
    Netcfg.dll
    Samlib.dll
    Samsrv.dll
    Services.exe
    Srvmgr.exe
    Xactsrv.dll


  3. Copy the original versions of these system files from the \%Systemroot%\Lsabackout folder to the %Systemroot%\System32 folder.


  4. Restart the computer using the installation disks and select the option to repair the system.


  5. Deselect all options except Inspect Registry Files and then continue.


  6. Press the ESC key to indicate you wish to use the on-disk repair information.


  7. Press ENTER to repair.


  8. Click only Security (security policy) and SAM (user accounts database).


WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys And Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it.

  1. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe) and delete the key from:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT
    \CurrentVersion\Hotfix

    NOTE: The above registry key is one path; it has been wrapped for readability.



STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT 4.0 and Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. This problem was first corrected in Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4.0 and Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition Service Pack 4.

Additional query words: 3.51 4.00

Keywords : NT4SP4Fix ntsecurity kbbug4.00 kbfix4.00.sp4
Version : WinNT:3.51,4.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbbug


Last Reviewed: April 10, 1999
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