CVE-2002-0153 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
Internet Explorer 5.1 for Macintosh allows remote attackers to bypass security checks and invoke local AppleScripts within a specific HTML element, aka the "Local Applescript Invocation" vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/01/2025
The CVE-2002-0153 vulnerability represents a significant security flaw in Internet Explorer 5.1 for Macintosh that fundamentally compromised the browser's security model. This vulnerability exploited a design oversight in how the browser handled HTML elements containing AppleScript code, creating an unauthorized execution path that bypassed normal security boundaries. The flaw specifically targeted the way Internet Explorer processed certain HTML constructs that could contain embedded AppleScript commands, allowing remote attackers to inject malicious code that would execute with the privileges of the local user.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stemmed from insufficient input validation and security boundary enforcement within the browser's rendering engine. When Internet Explorer encountered HTML elements that contained AppleScript code, it failed to properly sanitize or validate the embedded commands before execution. This created a path where remote attackers could craft malicious web pages containing carefully constructed HTML elements that would trigger AppleScript execution without proper user consent or security checks. The vulnerability exploited the inherent trust relationship between the browser and the operating system's AppleScript framework, which was designed for legitimate automation tasks but became a vector for unauthorized code execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability was substantial as it enabled attackers to execute arbitrary AppleScript commands on vulnerable systems without user interaction or explicit consent. This meant that simply visiting a malicious website could result in unauthorized system modifications, data exfiltration, or further exploitation through the executed AppleScript code. The vulnerability particularly affected users running Internet Explorer 5.1 on Macintosh systems, where the browser's integration with Apple's automation frameworks created an unexpected attack surface. Security researchers noted that the flaw could be leveraged to perform actions such as file manipulation, system configuration changes, and potentially escalate privileges depending on the user's access level.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-94, which describes the weakness of allowing code to be executed from untrusted sources, and represents a classic example of insecure input handling that violates fundamental security principles. The attack vector falls under the MITRE ATT&CK framework's technique T1059.007 for AppleScript execution, demonstrating how browser-based attacks can leverage operating system integration points to bypass traditional security controls. Organizations running affected versions of Internet Explorer 5.1 for Macintosh were particularly vulnerable since the patching mechanisms for this platform were limited and the browser itself was approaching end-of-life status. The vulnerability highlighted the importance of proper sandboxing and input validation in web browsers, especially when dealing with platform-specific automation frameworks that were not designed with web security in mind. Mitigation strategies included disabling AppleScript execution within the browser, updating to newer versions of Internet Explorer, or implementing network-level controls to block access to potentially malicious content.