Malformed Request Causes LSA Service to Stop Responding

ID: Q231457

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 4.0, 4.0 SP1, 4.0 SP2, 4.0 SP3, 4.0 SP4
Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 4.0, 4.0 SP1, 4.0 SP2, 4.0 SP3, 4.0 SP4
Microsoft Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition versions 4.0, 4.0 SP4

SYMPTOMS

A specially malformed request to the Microsoft Local Security Authority (LSA) service may be used to exploit a security vulnerability on a computer running Windows NT. A user can abuse this vulnerability to run a program and cause a denial of service attack that may cause the LSA service to stop responding (hang) and require you to restart the computer.

CAUSE

Windows NT provides the ability to manage user privileges programmatically through the Local Security Authority (LSA) application programming interface (API). This API allows a program to query user names, modify privileges, and change other elements of the security policy, subject to the program's authorizations. Certain API methods do not correctly handle certain types of invalid arguments. If a call is made using a specially malformed argument, the LSA service may hang. The vulnerability is a denial of service threat only, and the LSA service can be restored by restarting the computer. This vulnerability cannot be used by unauthorized program to query or modify user information or privileges.

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

This hotfix has been posted to the following Internet location as Lsareqi.exe (x86) and Lsareqa.exe (Alpha):

ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/bussys/winnt/winnt-public/fixes/usa/NT40/hotfixes-postSP5/LSA3-fix/

NOTE: This fix can be installed on Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4 and Service Pack 5.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was first corrected in Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 6.

MORE INFORMATION

For additional security-related information about Microsoft products, please visit:

http://www.microsoft.com/security/

Additional query words:

Keywords : kbprg ntsecurity ntsp kbbug4.00
Version : winnt:4.0,4.0 SP1,4.0 SP2,4.0 SP3,4.0 SP4
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbbug