Severed Windows Media Server Connection Vulnerability

A security vulnerability exists in Microsoft® Windows Media™ Services which could allow a malicious user to degrade the performance of a Windows Media server, possibly to the point where it could no longer provide useful service.

Issue

When a connection to a Windows Media server is made, then severed, using a particular sequence of TCP/IP packets, the Windows Media Unicast Service does not release all of the resources allocated to the connection. By repeatedly making and then severing connections in this manner, a malicious user could exhaust the resources on a server, thereby preventing it from providing streaming media services.

If an affected server were attacked via this vulnerability, the server operator could restore normal operation by restarting the Windows Media Service. Any sessions that were in progress would be lost, but users could immediately reconnect and resume normal use.

Affected Products

• Microsoft Windows Media Services 4.0 & 4.1

Download

Patch: http://www.microsoft.com/Downloads/Release.asp?ReleaseID=26470

Further Details

Source: Microsoft Corporation

Reference: Microsoft Corporation

Updated: December 15, 2000

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