DOCUMENT:Q184017 10-AUG-2001 [winnt] TITLE :Administrators Can Display Contents of Service Account Passwords PRODUCT :Microsoft Windows NT PROD/VER:winnt:3.51,4.0 OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS:kbWinNT400sp4fix ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 ========== Note that the fix listed below does not change the behavior in which LSA secrets are available to local administrators. Administrators have access to data including LSA secrets. This fix provides improved protection for LSA secrets against attacks noted below that do not involve accounts with administrative priviledges. 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 : kbWinNT400sp4fix Technology : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT351search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTW351search kbWinNTW351 kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTSEntSearch kbWinNTSEnt400 kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400 kbWinNTS351 kbNTTermServ400 kbNTTermServSearch kbWinNTS351search kbAudDeveloper kbSBServSearch kbSBServ400 Version : winnt:3.51,4.0 Hardware : ALPHA x86 Issue type : kbbug Solution Type : kbfix ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2001.