Title: Cumulative Patch for Internet Explorer (828750) Date: October 3, 2003 Software: Internet Explorer 5.01 Internet Explorer 5.5 Internet Explorer 6.0 Internet Explorer 6.0 for Windows Server 2003 Impact: Run code of attacker's choice Max Risk: Critical Bulletin: MS03-040 Microsoft encourages customers to review the Security Bulletins at: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS03-040.asp http://www.microsoft.com/security/security_bulletins/MS03-040.asp - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Issue: ====== 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 newly discovered vulnerabilities: A vulnerability that occurs because Internet Explorer does not properly determine an object type returned from a Web server in a popup window. It could be possible for an attacker who exploited this vulnerability to run arbitrary code on a user's system. If a user visited an attacker's Web site, it would be possible for the attacker to exploit this vulnerability without any other user action. An attacker could also craft an HTML-based e-mail that would attempt to exploit this vulnerability. A vulnerability that occurs because Internet Explorer does not properly determine an object type returned from a Web server during XML data binding. It could be possible for an attacker who exploited this vulnerability to run arbitrary code on a user's system. If a user visited an attacker's Web site, it would be possible for the attacker to exploit this vulnerability without any other user action. An attacker could also craft an HTML-based e-mail that would attempt to exploit this vulnerability. A change has been made to the method by which Internet Explorer handles Dynamic HTML (DHTML) Behaviors in the Internet Explorer Restricted Zone. It could be possible for an attacker exploiting a separate vulnerability (such as one of the two vulnerabilities discussed above) to cause Internet Explorer to run script code in the security context of the Internet Zone. In addition, an attacker could use Windows Media Player's (WMP) ability to open URL's to construct an attack. An attacker could also craft an HTML-based e-mail that could attempt to exploit this behavior. To exploit these flaws, the attacker would have to create a specially formed HTML-based e-mail and send it to the user. Alternatively an attacker would have to host a malicious Web site that contained a Web page designed to exploit these vulnerabilities. The attacker would then have to persuade a user to visit that site. As with the previous Internet Explorer cumulative patches released with bulletins MS03-004, MS03-015, MS03-020, and MS03-032, 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. In addition to applying this security patch it is recommended that users also install the Windows Media Player update referenced in Knowledge Base Article 828026. This update is available from Windows Update as well as the Microsoft Download Center for all supported versions of Windows Media Player. While not a security patch, this update contains a change to the behavior of Windows Media Player's ability to launch URL's to help protect against DHTML behavior based attacks. Specifically, it restricts Windows Media Player's ability to launch URL's in the local computer zone from other zones. Mitigating Factors: ==================== - -By default, Internet Explorer on Windows Server 2003 runs in Enhanced Security Configuration. This default configuration of Internet Explorer blocks automatic exploitation of this attack. If Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration has been disabled, the protections put in place that prevent this vulnerability from being automatically exploited would be removed. - -In the Web-based attack scenario, the attacker would have to host a Web site that contained a Web page used to exploit this vulnerability. An attacker would have no way to force a user to visit a malicious Web Site. Instead, the attacker would need to lure them there, typically by getting them to click a link that would take them to the attacker's site. - -Exploiting the vulnerability would allow the attacker only the same privileges as the user. Users whose accounts are configured to have few privileges on the system would be at less risk than ones who operate with administrative privileges. Risk Rating: ============ -Critical Patch Availability: =================== - A patch is available to fix this vulnerability. Please read the Security Bulletins at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS03-040.asp http://www.microsoft.com/security/security_bulletins/MS03-040.asp for information on obtaining this patch.