Memory Leak in Programs That Load/Unload Security.dll

ID: Q238493

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 4.0, 4.0 SP1, 4.0 SP2, 4.0 SP3, 4.0 SP4, 4.0 SP5

SYMPTOMS

A program may exhibit a memory leak if the program causes Security.dll to be loaded and unloaded repeatedly while the process is running. You can observe the memory leak by using Windows NT Performance Monitor to track Private Bytes for the program process.

An example of a program that can exhibit this problem is an SNA program running on a Windows NT client using the SNA Server Client for Windows NT. Each time the SNA program (or process) initiates a new host session, the underlying SNA Server client causes Security.dll to be loaded to perform Windows NT user validation to determine if the user is authorized to gain access to SNA Server.

Over time, a computer may stop responding (hang) if a process experiencing this problem is left running long enough to exhaust the system's memory resources.

CAUSE

Security.dll creates a critical section when it attaches to a process that causes it to be loaded. This critical section is not deleted when Security.dll detaches from the process when it is unloaded, which causes the memory leak.

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

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.

Additional query words:

Keywords : kbbug4.00 kbfix4.00 NT4SP6Fix
Version : winnt:4.0,4.0 SP1,4.0 SP2,4.0 SP3,4.0 SP4,4.0 SP5
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbbug