Microsoft Internet Explorer up to 6 showHelp security check

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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Current Exploit Price (≈)
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CTI Interest Score
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5.7$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Microsoft Internet Explorer up to 6 and classified as very critical. Affected by this vulnerability is the function showHelp. The manipulation leads to security check. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2003-1041. The attack can be launched remotely. Furthermore, there is an exploit available. It is recommended to disable the affected component. VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as very critical, was found in Microsoft Internet Explorer up to 6 (Web Browser). Affected is the function showHelp. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a security check vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-358. The product does not implement or incorrectly implements one or more security-relevant checks as specified by the design of a standardized algorithm, protocol, or technique. This is going to have an impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

Internet Explorer 5.x and 6.0 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary programs via a modified directory traversal attack using a URL containing ".." (dot dot) sequences and a filename that ends in "::" which is treated as a .chm file even if it does not have a .chm extension. NOTE: this bug may overlap CVE-2004-0475.

The weakness was disclosed 12/30/2003 by Arman Nayyeri as MS04-023 as not defined posting (Bugtraq). The advisory is available at securityfocus.com. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2003-1041 since 05/13/2004. It is possible to launch the attack remotely. The exploitation doesn't require any form of authentication. Successful exploitation requires user interaction by the victim. Technical details and a public exploit are known. The structure of the vulnerability defines a possible price range of USD $0-$5k at the moment (estimation calculated on 02/02/2025). It is expected to see the exploit prices for this product decreasing in the near future.This vulnerability is assigned to T1211 by the MITRE ATT&CK project.

After before and not just, there has been an exploit disclosed. The exploit is shared for download at freewebs.com. It is declared as proof-of-concept. The vulnerability was handled as a non-public zero-day exploit for at least 1 days. During that time the estimated underground price was around $25k-$100k. The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 13641 (MS04-023: Vulnerability in HTML Help Could Allow Code Execution (840315)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment. It is assigned to the family Windows : Microsoft Bulletins. The commercial vulnerability scanner Qualys is able to test this issue with plugin 90135 (Microsoft Windows HTML Help Remote Code Execution (MS04-023)).

Applying a patch is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at windowsupdate.microsoft.com.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at X-Force (14105), Exploit-DB (23504), Tenable (13641), SecurityFocus (BID 9320†) and OSVDB (7912†). Further details are available at secunia.com. The entries VDB-411, VDB-591, VDB-765 and VDB-766 are pretty similar. VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.

Productinfo

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CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 6.3
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 5.7

VulDB Base Score: 6.3
VulDB Temp Score: 5.7
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

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VectorComplexityAuthenticationConfidentialityIntegrityAvailability
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VulDB Base Score: 🔍
VulDB Temp Score: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Security check
CWE: CWE-358
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Local: No
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔍
Access: Public
Status: Proof-of-Concept
Download: 🔍

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

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Nessus ID: 13641
Nessus Name: MS04-023: Vulnerability in HTML Help Could Allow Code Execution (840315)
Nessus File: 🔍
Nessus Risk: 🔍
Nessus Family: 🔍

Qualys ID: 🔍
Qualys Name: 🔍

Exploit-DB: 🔍

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Disable
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔍

Patch: windowsupdate.microsoft.com

Timelineinfo

12/29/2003 🔍
12/30/2003 +1 days 🔍
01/06/2004 +7 days 🔍
05/13/2004 +128 days 🔍
06/14/2004 +32 days 🔍
07/15/2004 +31 days 🔍
02/02/2025 +7507 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: microsoft.com

Advisory: MS04-023⛔
Researcher: Arman Nayyeri
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2003-1041 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2003-1041
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-462

OVAL: 🔍

CERT: 🔍
X-Force: 14105 - Microsoft Internet Explorer showHelp directory traversal, Medium Risk
SecurityFocus: 9320 - Microsoft Windows showHelp CHM File Execution Weakness
Secunia: 10523 - Internet Explorer showHelp() Restriction Bypass Vulnerability, Highly Critical
OSVDB: 7912 - Microsoft IE showHelp() Arbitrary File Execution
Vulnerability Center: 4727

scip Labs: https://www.scip.ch/en/?labs.20161013
Misc.: 🔍
See also: 🔍

Entryinfo

Created: 01/06/2004 01:08 PM
Updated: 02/02/2025 04:41 AM
Changes: 01/06/2004 01:08 PM (63), 04/07/2017 12:00 PM (25), 03/09/2021 09:52 AM (2), 06/19/2024 04:16 AM (16), 01/02/2025 11:55 AM (7), 02/02/2025 04:41 AM (2)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 18:DBF:40

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