Title: Microsoft Internet Explorer Zone Spoofing Vulnerability
Severity: HIGH
Description:
Microsoft Internet Explorer contains a security-setting feature that can be modified according to a user's preferences. There are five different zones, each can be manipulated to control what actions a web site can take on a user's system.
The Intranet Zone contains all sites within a local intranet or network. By default this zone is set to Medium-Low, allowing most content within the site to run without prompting the user.
The Internet Zone contains all web sites not specified in other zones. By default this zone is set to Medium, enforcing that a user is to be prompted before running content.
A vulnerability exists in Internet Explorer, which could allow a web site to be viewed in the Intranet Zone, rather than the Internet Zone. Thus, allowing content to be viewed with less-restrictive security settings.
This is achievable by converting an IP address into a dotless IP address. Upon submitting the dotless IP address, Internet Explorer will return and treat the web site as a Local Intranet site. Therefore, any malicious content on the site will run with less restrictive settings.
Content that will run is dependant on the settings in the Local Intranet Zone. Users may have modified or customized the settings to a lower level, expecting that only trusted network/intranet sites will be viewed in this zone.
Successful exploitation of this vulnerability could lead to the execution of malicious script or ActiveX controls.
* Microsoft Security Bulletin MS01-055 states that there is a new variant of this issue, although no technical details have been provided. A cumulative patch has been released and IE 5.5 users are encouraged to install it.
Affected Products:
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0.1
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0.1 SP1
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0.1 SP2
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 SP1
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 SP2
- Microsoft Windows ME
References:
- Microsoft: Microsoft Security Bulletin MS01-051
- Microsoft: Microsoft Security Bulletin MS01-055
- Microsoft: Microsoft Technet Security
Juniper Networks provides this content via a wide variety of sources and production methods. If notified of errors or omissions in the content of this page, Juniper Networks, at its discretion, will modify or remove the page or leave the content as is, depending on various factors including but not limited to the reputation and authority of the party providing the notification. Please use the contact information displayed elsewhere on this page to report any errors or omissions regarding the content on this page.
