MS08-025: Vulnerability in Windows Kernel could allow elevation of privilege

Known issues with this security update

• Consider the following scenario. You install the security update that is offered by MS08-025 (Kernel). Then, you install the security update that is offered by MS08-021 (GDI). Then, you uninstall the update that is offered by MS08-025 (Kernel). In this scenario, the update that is offered by MS08-021 (GDI) may revert back to the vulnerable version. Also, this causes the MS08-021 (GDI) update to be reoffered to the vulnerable system. The MS08-021 update must then be reinstalled.
  
  The following binaries are shared between the security updates that are offered by MS08-025 (Kernel) and MS08-021 (GDI) for the operating systems that are mentioned in the following table. All other operating systems to which these updates are offered are not affected by this issue.
  
  
  Note All the following information applies to the SP1 QFE branch.
  
  
  

  Operating system	Win32 (MS08-025)	GDI32 (MS08-021)
  x64-based editions of Windows XP Professional (SP1QFE)	Gdi32.dll Wgdi32.dll Win32k.sys	gdi32.dll Wgdi32.dll
  32-bit versions of Windows Server 2003 (SP1QFE)	Gdi32.dll Win32k.sys	gdi32.dll
  x64-based versions of Windows Server 2003 (SP1QFE)	Gdi32.dll Wgdi32.dll In32k.sys	gdi32.dll Wgdi32.dll
  Itanium-based versions of Windows Server 2003 (SP1QFE)	Gdi32.dll Wgdi32.dll In32k.sys	gdi32.dll Wgdi32.dll

  
  To resolve this problem, reinstall the security update that is offered by security bulletin MS08-021. To install this update, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
  
  http://update.microsoft.com

More information about this security update

This update also resolves a problem in which custom gamma settings are lost after you resume a Windows Vista-based computer, a Windows Vista Service Pack 1-based computer, or a Windows Server 2008-based computer from sleep or from hibernate, or after you unlock the computer. For more information about this issue, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

951537 Custom gamma settings are lost on a Windows Vista-based computer, on a Windows Vista Service Pack 1-based computer, or on a Windows Server 2008-based computer

File information

The English (United States) version of this software update has the file attributes that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Note that dates and times for individual files on your local computer are displayed in your local time and with your current daylight savings time bias. These dates and times may also change when you perform certain operations on the files (for example, when you store the files on a FAT volume).

For all supported editions of Windows 2000

For all supported 32-bit editions of Windows XP

For all supported x64-based editions of Windows XP Professional

For all supported 32-bit versions of Windows Server 2003

For all supported x64-based versions of Windows Server 2003

For all supported Itanium-based versions of Windows Server 2003

For all supported 32-bit editions of Windows Vista

Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 file information

• Service Pack 1 is integrated into Windows Server 2008. Therefore, RTM milestone files apply only to Windows Vista. For example, RTM milestone files have a 6.0.0000.xxxxxx version number. GDR service branches contain only fixes that are broadly released to address widespread, critical issues. LDR service branches contain hotfixes in addition to broadly released fixes.
• The files that apply to a specific product, milestone (RTM, SPn) and service branch (LDR, GDR) can be identified by examining the file version numbers as shown in the following table:
  
  
  

  File version number	Product	Milestone	Service branch
  6.0.6000.16xxx	Windows Vista	RTM	GDR
  6.0.6000.20xxx	Windows Vista	RTM	LDR
  6.0.6001.18xxx	Windows Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008 SP1	SP1	GDR
  6.0.6001.22xxx	Windows Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008 SP1	SP1	LDR

For all supported x64-based editions of Windows Vista

For all supported 32-bit editions of Windows Server 2008

For all supported x64-based editions of Windows Server 2008

For all supported Itanium-based editions of Windows Server 2008