Microsoft Internet Explorer Permits Remote Command Execution Through <OBJECT> Tag

Overview

Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) permits the remote execution of arbitrary commands via the <OBJECT> tag.

Description

A vulnerability exists in the way that Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) handles <OBJECT> tags. If the CLASSID (CLSID) is unrecognized, then Internet Explorer will execute arbitrary commands specified through the CODEBASE property with a local path and filename. This allows an attacker to execute any command that is already present on the victim’s machine.

An attacker could create an HTML web page that includes an <OBJECT> tag to a local program on the victim’s machine. When a victim using IE visits the malicious site, the commands specified will be executed. In conjunction with scripting, or other vulnerabilities, an attacker can execute multiple commands in sequence.

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Impact

An attacker can execute arbitrary commands on the system with the privileges of the current user. It should be noted that arguments cannot be specifed to the command(s) being executed. This limits the effectiveness of this vulnerability on default installations of Microsoft Windows.

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Solution

Apply the patch referenced in MS02-047 or a more recent cumulative patch.
This issue is partially addressed by MS02-015. The patch in MS02-015 prevents objects in the Internet Zone from executing local commands via the CODEBASE property. The patch does not, however, prevent objects in the Local Machine Zone from executing commands this way. Other cross domain vulnerabilities, such as VU#711843 and VU#728563, allow untrusted script to execute in the Local Machine Zone, where the script could instantiate objects that use the CODEBASE property to execute local programs. The patch referenced in MS02-047 provides a more complete solution. There remain cases, however, in which script executing in the Local Machine Zone is permitted to execute commands via the CODEBASE property.

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Vendor Information

626395

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Microsoft Corporation __ Affected

Notified: February 22, 2002 Updated: May 02, 2003

Status

Affected

Vendor Statement

See <http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms02-047.asp&gt;.

Vendor Information

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

Addendum

The CERT/CC has no additional comments at this time.

If you have feedback, comments, or additional information about this vulnerability, please send us [email](<mailto:[email protected]?Subject=VU%23626395 Feedback>).

CVSS Metrics

Group	Score	Vector
Base
Temporal
Environmental

References

• <http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms02-015.asp&gt;
• <http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS02-047.asp&gt;
• <http://www.osioniusx.com>
• <http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/3867&gt;
• <http://home.austin.rr.com/wiredgoddess/thepull/advisory4.html&gt;
• <http://home.austin.rr.com/wiredgoddess/thepull/funRun.html&gt;
• <http://security.greymagic.com/adv/gm001-ie/&gt;

Acknowledgements

Our thanks to “The Pull” and others for reporting this vulnerability.

This document was written by Jason Rafail.

Other Information

CVE IDs:	CVE-2002-0077
Severity Metric:	29.69 Date Public: