Title: Microsoft Internet Explorer JavaScript Local File Enumeration Vulnerability
Severity: MODERATE
Description:
Microsoft Internet Explorer is prone to a vulnerability which may disclose sensitive information to a malicious webmaster.
A problem exists in the way that Internet Explorer deals with JavaScript onError event handlers.
As a result, it is possible to use JavaScript to search a web user's local system for a particular file. The path to the file must be known and the file must not consist of legal, valid script code.
When script code includes a file outside of the document it is embedded in and the file does not exist or contains invalid data (any that is not script code), the onError event handler code will run if it is enabled. This code for the handler can determine whether the file to be included on the client filesystem exists or not. This can be used to verify the presence of specific files on client hosts by creating webpages that include files from the local host using 'file://'.
For example, the following line of script code attempts to access a file called "testfile.bat" on the web user's local system:
<script language="javascript" src="file://c:\testfile.bat"></script>
The script that runs when the onError event occurs can determine if the file exists or not.
This vulnerability may be used by attackers to aid in more intelligent attacks, for example: attackers may be able to construct webpages that attempt to enumerate files on client hosts associated with other vulnerable programs.
Affected Products:
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0
- 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 Internet Explorer 6.0
- Microsoft Windows 98SE
- Microsoft Windows ME
- Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition
- Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition Itanium
- Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition
- Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition Itanium
- Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition
- Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Web Edition
- Microsoft Windows XP Home
- Microsoft Windows XP Professional
References:
- Liu Die Yu: execdror5 Demo Page
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