Microsoft Windows URI Handler Command Execution Vulnerability

Description

Microsoft Windows XP and Server 2003 with Internet Explorer 7 is prone to a command-execution vulnerability because it fails to properly sanitize input. Successfully exploiting this issue allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands in the context of users that follow malicious URIs. Known attack vectors include following URIs in these applications: - Mozilla Firefox in versions prior to 2.0.0.6 - Skype in versions prior to 3.5.0.239 - Adobe Acrobat Reader 8.1 - Miranda 0.7 - Netscape 7.1 - mIRC. NOTE: Attackers can exploit the issue in BID 25543 (Mozilla Firefox 2.0.0.6 Unspecified Protocol Handling Command Injection Vulnerability) as an attack vector for this issue.

Technologies Affected

• Avaya CIE 1.0
• Avaya Messaging Application Server
• Avaya Messaging Application Server MM 1.1
• Avaya Messaging Application Server MM 2.0
• Avaya Messaging Application Server MM 3.0
• Avaya Messaging Application Server MM 3.1
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.0
• Nortel Networks Centrex IP Client Manager 2.5.0
• Nortel Networks Centrex IP Client Manager 7.0.0
• Nortel Networks Centrex IP Client Manager 8.0.0
• Nortel Networks Centrex IP Client Manager 9.0
• Nortel Networks Centrex IP Client Manager

Recommendations

Do not follow links provided by unknown or untrusted sources.
To reduce the likelihood of successful exploits, never visit sites of questionable integrity or follow links provided by unfamiliar or untrusted sources.

Do not accept communications that originate from unknown or untrusted sources.
Users should never open or accept unsolicited HTML email, because it may provide an attack vector for numerous vulnerabilities. Filter all HTML email or disable client support for HTML email.

Run all software as a nonprivileged user with minimal access rights.
To limit the impact of client vulnerabilities, perform all nonadministrative tasks, such as reading email and browsing, as an unprivileged user with minimal access rights.

Microsoft released an advisory and updates to address this issue. Please see the references for more information. NOTE: Certain applications that can be used as exploit vectors have been updated to securely handle URIs containing ‘%’ characters. Please see the references for more information.