CVE-2001-0238 in Data Access Component Internet Publishing Provider
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Data Access Component Internet Publishing Provider 8.103.2519.0 and earlier allows remote attackers to bypass Security Zone restrictions via WebDAV requests.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/07/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2001-0238 affects Microsoft Data Access Component Internet Publishing Provider version 8.103.2519.0 and earlier implementations. This security flaw resides within the WebDAV protocol handling mechanism that governs how internet publishing operations are processed through the data access component. The issue specifically manifests in the security zone enforcement mechanisms that are designed to restrict access based on user security levels and zone boundaries. When processing WebDAV requests, the component fails to properly validate the security context of incoming requests, allowing unauthorized access to resources that should be restricted by zone policies.
This technical vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and security boundary enforcement within the WebDAV request processing pipeline. The flaw enables attackers to craft malicious WebDAV requests that can traverse security zone restrictions without proper authentication or authorization checks. The vulnerability exists because the system does not adequately verify that incoming requests originate from appropriate security zones or possess the necessary privileges to access protected resources. This represents a classic case of insufficient access control enforcement where the security model's boundaries can be circumvented through crafted protocol interactions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it allows remote attackers to bypass critical security controls that are fundamental to protecting sensitive data and system resources. Attackers can exploit this weakness to access restricted web content, potentially gaining access to confidential information or system resources that should only be available to users within specific security zones. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation can occur from any location without requiring physical access to the target system, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where security zones are used to separate different levels of trust and access privileges.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control issues, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol usage. Organizations utilizing Microsoft Data Access Component Internet Publishing Provider versions prior to the patched release face increased risk of unauthorized data access and potential information disclosure. The attack vector specifically leverages WebDAV protocol weaknesses to bypass established security policies, making it particularly challenging to detect through traditional network monitoring approaches that may not distinguish between legitimate and malicious WebDAV operations.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patch deployment for the affected Microsoft Data Access Component versions, along with implementing additional network-level controls to monitor and restrict WebDAV traffic. Organizations should also review their security zone configurations and ensure that proper access controls are enforced at multiple layers of the network stack. Network administrators should consider implementing WebDAV traffic filtering rules and monitoring for unusual patterns of WebDAV requests that may indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments of internet publishing configurations and access control policies should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in other components of the system infrastructure.