Microsoft Internet Explorer could allow automatic file download and execution

ie-file-download-execution (7703)

High Risk

Description:

A vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer could allow a malicious Web site operator to cause a file to be automatically downloaded and executed on a victim's system. Internet Explorer incorrectly handles the "Content-Type" and "Content-Disposition" HTTP header fields. An attacker could modify the HTTP header within a Web page to cause the file type of a referenced file to be misrepresented by Internet Explorer, which would cause the file to execute automatically once the affected Web page is opened. This vulnerability can also be exploited using a specially-crafted HTML email.

Platforms Affected:

• Microsoft, Internet Explorer 6

Remedy:

Apply the appropriate patch for your system, as listed in the latest Microsoft Security Bulletin. See References.

— OR —

Use Microsoft Automatic Update if it is supported by your operating system. The original bulletin issued by Microsoft has been superseded.

Consequences:

Gain Access

References:

• BugTraq Mailing List, Fri Dec 14 2001 - 08:41:09 CST, MSIE may download and run progams automatically at http://archives.neohapsis.com/archives/bugtraq/2001-12/0143.html.
• CERT Advisory CA-2001-36, Microsoft Internet Explorer Does Not Respect Content-Disposition and Content-Type MIME Headers at http://www.cert.org/advisories/CA-2001-36.html.
• CIAC Information Bulletin M-027, Microsoft Internet Explorer-Content Type Falsification (Three Vulnerabilities) at http://www.ciac.org/ciac/bulletins/m-027.shtml.
• Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 313675, File Vulnerability Patch for Internet Explorer 5.5 and Internet Explorer 6 (Q313675) at http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;[LN];313675.
• Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 328548, How to Obtain the Latest Service Pack for Internet Explorer 6 at http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;[LN];328548.
• Microsoft Product Support Services, List of Fixes in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 SP1 at http://support.microsoft.com/common/canned.aspx?R=d&H=List%20of%20Fixes%20in%20Microsoft%20Internet%20Explorer%206%20SP1&LL=&Sz=kbIE600sp1fix&Fr=&DU=&SD=GN&LN=EN-US&CND=1&VR=&CAT=&VRL=&SG=&MaxResults=150.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS01-058, 13 December 2001 Cumulative Patch for IE at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms01-058.mspx. (This patch was included in the rollup from MS02-023.)
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS02-005, 11 February 2002 Cumulative Patch for Internet Explorer at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms02-005.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS02-015, 28 March 2002 Cumulative Patch for Internet Explorer at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms02-015.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS02-023, 15 May 2002 Cumulative Patch for Internet Explorer (Q321232) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms02-023.mspx. (Contains patch from MS01-058. Superseded by MS02-047.)
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS02-047, Cumulative Patch for Internet Explorer (Q323759) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS02-047.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS02-066, Cumulative Patch for Internet Explorer (Q328970) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS02-066.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS02-068, Cumulative Patch for Internet Explorer (324929) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS02-068.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS03-004, Cumulative Patch for Internet Explorer (810847) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms03-004.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS03-015, Cumulative Patch for Internet Explorer (813489) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms03-015.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS03-020, Cumulative Patch for Internet Explorer (818529) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms03-020.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS03-032, Cumulative Patch for Internet Explorer (822925) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms03-032.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS03-040, Cumulative Patch for Internet Explorer (828750) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms03-040.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS03-048, Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (824145) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms03-048.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS04-004, Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (832894) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms04-004.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS04-025, Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (867801) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms04-025.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS04-038, Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (834707) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms04-038.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS04-040, Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (889293) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms04-040.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-014, Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (867282) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms05-014.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-020, Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (890923) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS05-020.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-025, Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (883939) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms05-025.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-038, Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (896727) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms05-038.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-052, Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (896688) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS05-052.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-054, Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (905915) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS05-054.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS06-004, Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (910620) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS06-004.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS06-013, Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (912812) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS06-013.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS06-021, Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (916281) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS06-021.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS06-042, Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (918899) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms06-042.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS06-067, Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (922760) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms06-067.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS06-072, Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (925454) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS06-072.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS07-016, Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (928090) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/ms07-016.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS07-027, Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (931768) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms07-027.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS07-033, Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (933566) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms07-033.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS07-045, Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (937143) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms07-045.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS07-057, Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (939653) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS07-057.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS07-069, Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (942615) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms07-069.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-010, Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (944533) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms08-010.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-024, Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (947864) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms08-024.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-031, Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (950759) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS08-031.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-045, Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (953838) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms08-045.mspx.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-058, Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (956390) at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms08-058.mspx.
• BID-3578: Microsoft Internet Explorer Arbitrary File Execution Vulnerability
• CVE-2001-0727: Internet Explorer 6.0 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by modifying the Content-Disposition and Content-Type header fields in a way that causes Internet Explorer to believe that the file is safe to open without prompting the user, aka the File Execution Vulnerability.
• OSVDB ID: 3033: Microsoft IE Content Type/Disposition File Execution
• US-CERT VU#443699: Microsoft Internet Explorer Does Not Respect Content-Disposition and Content-Type MIME Headers

Reported:

Dec 13, 2001

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