CVE-2002-0481 in Outlook
Summary
by MITRE
An interaction between Windows Media Player (WMP) and Outlook 2002 allows remote attackers to bypass Outlook security settings and execute Javascript via an IFRAME in an HTML email message that references .WMS (Windows Media Skin) or other WMP media files, whose onload handlers execute the player.LaunchURL() Javascript function.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/16/2019
This vulnerability represents a sophisticated cross-application security flaw that exploits the integration between Microsoft Windows Media Player and Microsoft Outlook 2002. The issue stems from how these applications handle embedded media content within email messages, creating an unexpected execution path that bypasses Outlook's built-in security mechanisms. The vulnerability specifically affects the interaction between Outlook's email rendering engine and WMP's JavaScript capabilities, allowing malicious code execution through seemingly benign email attachments or embedded content.
The technical exploitation occurs when an attacker crafts an HTML email message containing an IFRAME element that references a Windows Media Skin file with a .wms extension or other WMP media files. When the email is opened in Outlook 2002, the IFRAME element triggers the player.LaunchURL() JavaScript function through onload handlers, effectively executing malicious JavaScript code within the context of the Outlook application. This represents a classic case of insecure object loading and script execution, where the security boundaries between different Microsoft applications are improperly enforced. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-74 as "Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component" and aligns with CWE-94 as "Improper Control of Generation of Code" due to the unauthorized execution of JavaScript.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable systems without requiring user interaction beyond opening the malicious email. This creates a vector for phishing attacks, malware distribution, and privilege escalation scenarios where attackers can bypass Outlook's security controls and potentially access sensitive system resources. The attack requires minimal user interaction, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where email is a primary communication channel. The vulnerability affects organizations using Outlook 2002 in their email infrastructure, potentially compromising entire email ecosystems and leading to data breaches or system compromise.
Mitigation strategies should focus on both immediate defensive measures and long-term architectural improvements. Organizations should disable automatic execution of embedded media content in email clients and implement strict email filtering policies that block suspicious IFRAME references and .wms file extensions. Network-level controls can be deployed to filter out potentially malicious email content before it reaches end users. Microsoft released patches for this vulnerability through Windows Update, and organizations should ensure all systems are updated to the latest security patches. Additionally, user education programs should emphasize the dangers of opening suspicious email attachments and the importance of verifying email sources before interacting with embedded content. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a technique involving "Phishing with Malicious Attachments" and "Exploitation for Client Execution" under the broader category of initial access and execution tactics.