CVE-2007-2228 in Windows
Summary
by MITRE
rpcrt4.dll (aka the RPC runtime library) in Microsoft Windows XP SP2, XP Professional x64 Edition, Server 2003 SP1 and SP2, Server 2003 x64 Edition and x64 Edition SP2, and Vista and Vista x64 Edition allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (RPCSS service stop and system restart) via an RPC request that uses NTLMSSP PACKET authentication with a zero-valued verification trailer signature, which triggers an invalid dereference. NOTE: this also affects Windows 2000 SP4, although the impact is an information leak.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/08/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-2228 resides within the rpcrt4.dll component of Microsoft Windows operating systems, specifically affecting versions including Windows XP SP2, Windows Server 2003 SP1 and SP2, Windows Vista, and their respective x64 editions. This flaw represents a critical security issue that impacts the Remote Procedure Call (RPC) runtime library, which serves as a fundamental communication mechanism for distributed applications within the Windows ecosystem. The vulnerability manifests through the RPCSS service, which manages RPC endpoints and is essential for Windows networking functionality. When exploited, this weakness can cause complete system disruption by forcing the RPCSS service to terminate and potentially triggering system restarts, effectively creating a denial of service condition that severely impacts system availability.
The technical mechanism behind this vulnerability involves the NTLMSSP PACKET authentication mechanism within the RPC runtime. Specifically, when an RPC request is made using NTLMSSP authentication with a zero-valued verification trailer signature, the system encounters an invalid memory dereference condition. This occurs because the RPC runtime library fails to properly validate the authentication trailer signature before attempting to process it, leading to memory corruption that causes the service to crash. The flaw demonstrates characteristics consistent with a buffer overflow or memory management error, where the system attempts to access memory locations that are either invalid or unauthorized. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-125 weakness category, which represents "Out-of-bounds Read" and is classified as a memory safety issue within the Common Weakness Enumeration framework.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to encompass potential system instability and availability compromise across affected Windows platforms. Attackers can exploit this weakness remotely without requiring authentication, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments where Windows systems communicate via RPC protocols. The vulnerability's effect on Windows 2000 SP4 introduces an additional concern related to information leakage, where the invalid memory dereference may expose sensitive data from system memory. This information disclosure capability, while less severe than the denial of service impact, still represents a significant security risk that could aid in further exploitation attempts. Organizations running affected systems face potential disruptions to critical services that rely on RPC communication, including domain controllers, file servers, and application servers that depend on Windows RPC infrastructure for inter-process communication.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-2228 should prioritize immediate security updates from Microsoft, as the company released patches specifically addressing this vulnerability through their regular security bulletin process. System administrators should implement network segmentation to limit RPC communication between trusted systems and reduce the attack surface available to potential exploiters. Additionally, monitoring for unusual RPC traffic patterns and service disruptions can help detect exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1070.004, which covers "Indicator Removal on Host: File Deletion," as exploitation may involve attempts to remove or modify system files related to RPC functionality. Organizations should also consider implementing firewall rules to restrict RPC traffic to necessary ports and services only, particularly focusing on the well-known RPC ports 135, 139, and 445, which are commonly targeted by such attacks. Regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify systems that may be running outdated Windows versions or have not received the necessary security patches.