CVE-2002-0867 in Virtual Machine
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Virtual Machine (VM) up to and including build 5.0.3805 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) in Internet Explorer via invalid handle data in a Java applet, aka "Handle Validation Flaw."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/31/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-0867 represents a critical handle validation flaw within Microsoft Virtual Machine version 5.0.3805 and earlier, which operates as a component of Internet Explorer's Java applet execution environment. This weakness specifically targets the validation mechanisms responsible for managing system handles within the virtual machine's memory management subsystem. The flaw occurs when the VM processes Java applets that contain malformed or invalid handle data, leading to improper memory access patterns and subsequent system instability.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability leverages the insufficient input validation mechanisms within the Microsoft Virtual Machine's handle processing routines. When a malicious Java applet containing crafted invalid handle data is executed within Internet Explorer, the VM fails to properly validate the handle references before attempting to access or manipulate them. This validation failure results in memory corruption conditions that cause the virtual machine to crash, thereby triggering a denial of service condition that affects the entire Internet Explorer browser session. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of Java bytecode execution and Windows kernel-level memory management, making it particularly dangerous as it can escalate from a simple browser crash to a more severe system stability issue.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to enterprise environments where Internet Explorer remains in use, particularly in scenarios where users may encounter malicious Java applets through web browsing or email attachments. The denial of service condition effectively renders the affected browser unusable until the user manually restarts the application or the system itself. This disruption can lead to productivity losses and may be exploited by attackers to create persistent availability issues for targeted users or systems. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can trigger the flaw without requiring local system access, making it particularly dangerous in unpatched environments.
Security practitioners should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which addresses the improper validation of input boundaries, and can be categorized under the ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service. The flaw demonstrates the importance of robust input validation in virtual machine implementations and highlights the risks associated with legacy Java applet support in web browsers. Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including disabling Java applet support in Internet Explorer, deploying updated versions of the Microsoft Virtual Machine, and ensuring comprehensive network monitoring for exploitation attempts. Additionally, users should be educated about the dangers of executing untrusted Java content and the importance of maintaining updated browser security configurations to prevent exploitation of this and similar vulnerabilities.