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The U.S. Department of Energy
Computer Incident Advisory Capability
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INFORMATION BULLETIN
Microsoft Cumulative Patch for Internet Explorer (IE)
[Microsoft Security Bulletin MS03-015]
April 24, 2003 20:00 GMT Number N-082
______________________________________________________________________________
PROBLEM: There are four vulnerabilities in Microsoft Internet Explorer:
(1) A buffer overrun vulnerability occurs in URLMON.DLL because
IE does not correctly check the parameters of information being
received from a web server.
(2) A vulnerability in the IE file upload control that allows
input from a script to be passed to the upload control.
(3) A flaw in the way IE handles the rendering of third party
files.
(4) A flaw in the way modal dialogs are treated by IE because
an input parameter is not properly checked.
SOFTWARE: * Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01
* Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5
* Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0
DAMAGE: The most serious of these vulnerabilities could enable an
attacker to execute arbitrary code on a user's system if the
user either browsed to a hostile web site or opened a specially
crafted HTML email message.
SOLUTION: Apply patch as indicated in Microsoft's bulletin.
______________________________________________________________________________
VULNERABILITY The risk is MEDIUM. An attacker would have to host a web site
ASSESSMENT: or send a malicious email that contained a web page used to
exploit the particular vulnerability.
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LINKS:
CIAC BULLETIN: http://www.ciac.org/ciac/bulletins/n-082.shtml
ORIGINAL BULLETIN:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/
default.asp?url=/technet/security/bulletin/MS03-015.asp
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[***** Start Microsoft Security Bulletin MS03-015 *****]
Microsoft Security Bulletin MS03-015
Cumulative Patch for Internet Explorer (813489)
Originally posted: April 23, 2003
Summary
Who should read this bulletin: Customers using Microsoft®
Internet Explorer.
Impact of vulnerability: Four new vulnerabilities, the most serious
of which could enable an attacker to execute arbitrary code on a
user’s system if the user either browsed to a hostile web site or
opened a specially crafted HTML email message.
Maximum Severity Rating: Critical
Recommendation: System administrators should install the
patch immediately
Affected Software:
* Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01
* Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5
* Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0
Technical details
Technical description:
This is a cumulative patch that includes the functionality of all
previously released patches for Internet Explorer 5.01, 5.5 and 6.0.
In addition, it eliminates the following four newly discovered
vulnerabilities:
* A buffer overrun vulnerability in URLMON.DLL that occurs because Internet
Explorer does not correctly check the parameters of information being
received from a web server. It could be possible for an attacker to
exploit this vulnerability to run arbitrary code on a user's system.
A user simply visiting an attacker’s website could allow the attacker to
exploit the vulnerability without any other user action.
* A vulnerability in the Internet Explorer file upload control that allows
input from a script to be passed to the upload control. This vulnerability
could allow an attacker to supply a file name to the file upload control and
automatically upload a file from the user’s system to a web server.
* A flaw in the way Internet Explorer handles the rendering of third party
files. The vulnerability results because the Internet Explorer method for
rendering third party file types does not properly check parameters passed to
it. An attacker could create a specially formed URL that would inject script
during the rendering of a third party file format and cause the script to
execute in the security context of the user.
* A flaw in the way modal dialogs are treated by Internet Explorer that
occurs because an input parameter is not properly checked. This flaw could
allow an attacker to use an injected script to provide access to files
stored on a user’s computer. Although a user who visited the attacker’s
website could allow the attacker to exploit the vulnerability without any
other user action, an attacker would have no way to force the user to visit
the website.
In addition to eliminating the above vulnerabilities, this patch also includes
a fix for Internet Explorer 6.0 SP1 that corrects the method by which Internet
Explorer displays help information in the local computer zone. While we are not
aware of a method to exploit this vulnerability by itself, if it were possible
to exploit it, it could allow an attacker to read local files on a visiting
user’s system.
This patch also sets the Kill Bit on the Plugin.ocx ActiveX control which has
a security vulnerability. This killbit has been set in order to ensure that
the vulnerable control cannot be reintroduced onto users’ systems and to
ensure that users who already have the vulnerable control on their system are
protected. This issue is discussed further in Microsoft Knowledge Base Article
813489.
Like the previous Internet Explorer cumulative patch released with bulletin
MS03-004, this cumulative patch will cause window.showHelp( ) to cease to
function if you have not applied the HTML Help update. If you have installed
the updated HTML Help control from Knowledge Base article 811630, you will
still be able to use HTML Help functionality after applying this patch.
Mitigating factors:
There are common mitigating factors across all of the vulnerabilities:
* The attacker would have to host a web site that contained a web page used to
exploit the particular vulnerability.
* By default, Outlook Express 6.0 and Outlook 2002 open HTML mails in the
Restricted Sites Zone. In addition, Outlook 98 and 2000 open HTML mails in
the Restricted Sites Zone if the Outlook Email Security Update has been
installed. Customers who use any of these products would be at no risk from
an e-mail borne attack that attempted to automatically exploit these
vulnerabilities. The attacker would have no way to force users to visit a
malicious web site. Instead, the attacker would need to lure them there,
typically by getting them to click on a link that would take them to the
attacker's site.
In addition to the common factors, there are a number of individual mitigating
factors:
URLMON.DLL Buffer Overrun:
* Code that executed on the system would only run under the privileges of the
locally logged in user.
File Upload Control vulnerability:
* The attacker would have to know the explicit path and name of the file to be
uploaded in advance.
Third Party plug-in rendering:
* The third party plugin would have to be present on the user’s system in order
for it to be exploited
Severity Rating:
Internet Explorer Internet Explorer Internet Explorer Internet Explorer
5.01 SP3 5.5 SP2 6.0 Gold 6.0 SP1
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
URLMON.DLL Critical Critical Critical Critical
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
File Upload Control
Vulnerability Moderate Moderate Moderate Moderate
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Third Party Plugin
Rendering Critical Critical Critical Critical
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Model Dialog Script
Execution Critical Critical Critical Critical
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Aggregate Severity
of all issues
included in this
patch Critical Critical Critical Critical
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The above assessment is based on the types of systems affected by the vulnerability,
their typical deployment patterns, and the effect that exploiting the vulnerability
would have on them.
Vulnerability identifier:
* URLMON.DLL Buffer Overrun: CAN-2003-0113
* File Upload Control vulnerability: CAN-2003-0114
* Third Party plug-in rendering: CAN-2003-0115
* Model Dialog script execution: CAN-2003-0116
Tested Versions:
Internet Explorer versions 5.01 Service Pack 3, Internet Explorer 5.5 SP2,
Internet Explorer 6.0 and Internet Explorer 6.0 SP1 were tested for these
vulnerabilities. Previous versions are no longer supported, and may or may not be
affected by these vulnerabilities. More information on Windows Operating System
Components Lifecycles is available from:
http://microsoft.com/windows/lifecycle/desktop/consumer/components.mspx.
Patch availability
Download locations for this patch
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/downloads/critical/813489/default.asp
Additional information about this patch
Installation platforms:
* IE5.01 running on Windows 2000 systems with Service Pack 3 installed.
* The IE 5.5 patch can be installed on systems running Internet Explorer 5.5
Service Pack 2.
* The IE 6.0 patch can be installed on systems running IE 6.0 Gold or Internet
Explorer 6.0 Service Pack 1.
Inclusion in future service packs:
The fix for this issue will be included in Internet Explorer 6.0 Service Pack 2.
Reboot needed: Yes
Patch can be uninstalled: Yes
Superseded patches: This patch supersedes the one provided in Microsoft Security
Bulletin MS03-004, which is itself a cumulative patch.
Verifying patch installation:
* To verify that the patch has been installed on the machine, open IE, select
Help, then select About Internet Explorer and confirm that Q813489 is listed in
the Update Versions field.
* To verify the individual files, use the patch manifest provided in Knowledge
Base article 813489.
Caveats:
If you have not installed the updated HTML Help control from Knowledge Base article
811630, you will not be able to use some HTML Help functionality after applying
this update. In order to restore that functionality, users need to download the
updated HTML Help control (811630). Users should also note that when the latest
version of HTML Help is installed, the following limitations will occur when a help
file is opened with the showHelp method:
* Only supported protocols can be used with showHelp to open a web page or help
(chm) file.
* The shortcut function supported by HTML Help will be disabled when the help file
is opened with showHelp This will not affect the shortcut functionality if the
same CHM file is opened by the user manually by double-clicking on the help file,
or by through an application on the local system using the HTMLHELP( ) API.
Localization:
Localized versions of this patch are available at the locations discussed in
“Patch Availability”.
Obtaining other security patches:
Patches for other security issues are available from the following locations:
* Security patches are available from the Microsoft Download Center, and can be
most easily found by doing a keyword search for "security_patch".
* Patches for consumer platforms are available from the WindowsUpdate web site
Other information:
Acknowledgments
Microsoft thanks the following for working with us to protect customers:
Mark Litchfield of Next Generation Security Software Ltd. for reporting the
PLUGIN.OCX issue to us.
Andreas Sandblad, Sweden for reporting the showhelp issue to us.
Jouko Pynnönen of Oy Online Solutions Ltd, Finland for reporting the URLMON.DLL
Buffer Overrun issue to us.
Support:
* Microsoft Knowledge Base article 813489 discusses this issue. Knowledge Base
articles can be found on the Microsoft Online Support web site.
* Technical support is available from Microsoft Product Support Services. There is
no charge for support calls associated with security patches.
Security Resources: The Microsoft TechNet Security Web Site provides additional
information about security in Microsoft products.
Disclaimer:
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.
Revisions:
* V1.0 April 23, 2003: Bulletin Created.
[***** End Microsoft Security Bulletin MS03-015 *****]
_______________________________________________________________________________
CIAC wishes to acknowledge the contributions of Microsoft Corporation for the
information contained in this bulletin.
_______________________________________________________________________________
CIAC, the Computer Incident Advisory Capability, is the computer
security incident response team for the U.S. Department of Energy
(DOE) and the emergency backup response team for the National
Institutes of Health (NIH). CIAC is located at the Lawrence Livermore
National Laboratory in Livermore, California. CIAC is also a founding
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can be contacted at:
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E-mail: ciac@ciac.org
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PLEASE NOTE: Many users outside of the DOE, ESnet, and NIH computing
communities receive CIAC bulletins. If you are not part of these
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This document was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an
agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States
Government nor the University of California nor any of their
employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any
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