Overview

The Microsoft XMLHTTP ActiveX control allows unauthorized reading of any known file on a system. A victim must be enticed to visit a malicious site in order to be attacked.

Description

Description (from MS02-008):

Microsoft XML Core Services (MSXML) includes the XMLHTTP ActiveX control, which allows web pages rendering in the browser to send or receive XML data via HTTP operations such as POST, GET, and PUT. The control provides security measures designed to restrict web pages so they can only use the control to request data from remote data sources.
A flaw exists in how the XMLHTTP control applies IE security zone settings to a redirected data stream returned in response to a request for data from a web site. A vulnerability results because an attacker could seek to exploit this flaw and specify a data source that is on the user's local system. The attacker could then use this to return information from the local system to the attacker's web site.
Preconditions (from MS02-008):

- The vulnerability can only be exploited via a web site. It would not be possible to exploit this vulnerability via HTML mail.
- The attacker would need to know the full path and file name of a file in order to read it.

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Impact

A remote attacker who can entice a victim to visit a malicious web site can read any file the user can. Note this vulnerability is not believed to allow file modification (no file writing, inserting, or deleting).

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Solution

Apply the patches found in MS02-008.

<http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/downloads/critical/q317244/download.asp&gt;

Microsoft has confirmed that this problem could result in some degree of security vulnerability in Microsoft XML 4.0. This problem was corrected in Microsoft XML 4.0 Service Pack 1.

To download MSXML 4.0 Service Pack 1, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

<http://msdn.microsoft.com/downloads/default.asp?url=/downloads/sample.asp?url=/msdn-files/027/001/766/msdncompositedoc.xml&gt;

MSXML can also be installed separately. MSXML is installed as a DLL in the System32 subfolder of the Windows operating system folder. On most systems, this will likely be C:\Windows or C:\winnt. If you have any or all of the following files in the System32 folder, you need the patch:

* `Msxml2.dll `
* `Msxml3.dll `
* `Msxml4.dll `

If you have only Msxml.dll, you do not need the patch because this is an earlier, unaffected version.

Vendor Information

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Microsoft Corporation __ Affected

Updated: October 02, 2002

Status

Affected

Vendor Statement

Please see MS02-008:

<http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms02-008.asp>

Vendor Information

The vendor has not provided us with any further information regarding this vulnerability.

Addendum

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: XMLHTTP Control Can Allow Access to Local Files Date: 21 February 2002 Software: Microsoft XML Core Services Impact: Information disclosure Max Risk: Critical Bulletin: MS02-008
`Microsoft encourages customers to review the Security Bulletin at:
<http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS02-008.asp>.

---

Issue:

Microsoft XML Core Services (MSXML) includes the XMLHTTP ActiveX
control, which allows web pages rendering in the browser to send or
receive XML data via HTTP operations such as POST, GET, and PUT.
The control provides security measures designed to restrict web
pages so they can only use the control to request data from remote
data sources.
A flaw exists in how the XMLHTTP control applies IE security zone
settings to a redirected data stream returned in response to a
request for data from a web site. A vulnerability results because
an attacker could seek to exploit this flaw and specify a data
source that is on the user’s local system. The attacker could
then use this to return information from the local system to the
attacker’s web site.
An attacker would have to entice the user to a site under his
control to exploit this vulnerability. It cannot be exploited
by HTML email. In addition, the attacker would have to know the
full path and file name of any file he would attempt to read.
Finally, this vulnerability does not give an attacker any
ability to add, change or delete data.
Mitigating Factors:

• The vulnerability can only be exploited via a web site.
  It would not be possible to exploit this vulnerability
  via HTML mail.
  - The attacker would need to know the full path and file name
  of a file in order to read it.
  - The vulnerability does not provide any ability to add,
  change, or delete files.
  Risk Rating:
  ============
• Internet systems: Moderate
• Intranet systems: Moderate
• Client systems: Critical
  Patch Availability:
  ===================
• A patch is available to fix this vulnerability. Please read the
  Security Bulletin at
  <http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms02-008.asp>
  for information on obtaining this patch.
  - ---------------------------------------------------------------------
  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.
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If you have feedback, comments, or additional information about this vulnerability, please send us [email](<mailto:[email protected]?Subject=VU%23328163 Feedback>).

CVSS Metrics

Group	Score	Vector
Base
Temporal
Environmental

References

• <http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS02-008.asp&gt;
• <http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/security/bulletin/MS02-008.asp&gt;
• <http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q317244&gt;
• <http://www.xs4all.nl/~jkuperus/bug.htm&gt;
• <http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/3699&gt;

Acknowledgements

This document was written by Jeffrey S. Havrilla based on information provided by Microsoft.

Other Information

CVE IDs:	CVE-2002-0057
Severity Metric:	10.40 Date Public: