CVE-2002-1444 in Toolbar
Summary
by MITRE
The Google toolbar 1.1.60, when running on Internet Explorer 5.5 and 6.0, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash with an exception in oleaut32.dll) via malicious HTML, possibly related to small width and height parameters or an incorrect call to the Google.Search() function.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/12/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-1444 represents a critical denial of service flaw affecting the Google toolbar version 1.1.60 when operating within Internet Explorer 5.5 and 6.0 environments. This issue stems from improper handling of malicious HTML content that triggers exceptions within the oleaut32.dll system component, effectively crashing the browser and rendering the user interface inaccessible. The vulnerability specifically targets the integration between the Google toolbar and Microsoft's Internet Explorer, exploiting weaknesses in how the browser processes certain HTML parameters and JavaScript function calls. The flaw manifests when the toolbar encounters malformed HTML content that includes incorrect width and height parameters or improper invocation of the Google.Search() function, creating a cascade of errors that propagate through the oleaut32.dll library.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability operates through a classic buffer overflow or parameter validation failure within the toolbar's HTML parsing mechanism. The oleaut32.dll component, which provides automation support for COM objects in Windows operating systems, becomes the target of malformed input that causes it to throw unhandled exceptions. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-121, which addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-122, which covers heap-based buffer overflow conditions, as the improper parameter handling can lead to memory corruption. The attack vector specifically exploits the interaction between the Google toolbar's JavaScript implementation and Internet Explorer's rendering engine, where malformed HTML parameters trigger incorrect function calls that eventually result in the oleaut32.dll exception handling failure. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be triggered through simple web browsing activities, requiring no special privileges or user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website.
The operational impact of CVE-2002-1444 extends beyond simple browser crashes, as it represents a significant threat to user productivity and system availability. When exploited, the vulnerability can cause complete browser termination, forcing users to restart their Internet Explorer sessions and potentially lose unsaved work or browser state information. This type of denial of service attack aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks, and T1566.001, which involves phishing attacks that can deliver malicious HTML content. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical skill from attackers, making it particularly dangerous for widespread deployment. Organizations using Internet Explorer 5.5 and 6.0 with the affected Google toolbar version face significant risk, as the attack can be delivered through standard web browsing activities without requiring any special user actions beyond visiting compromised websites. The vulnerability also demonstrates the inherent risks of browser extensions and toolbars that lack proper input validation mechanisms, creating attack surfaces that can be leveraged by malicious actors.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate remediation through software updates and configuration changes. The primary solution involves updating to the latest version of the Google toolbar that addresses the parameter validation issues, as well as upgrading to newer versions of Internet Explorer that have improved security mechanisms. System administrators should consider implementing browser security policies that restrict the execution of potentially malicious HTML content and disable unnecessary toolbar components. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper input validation in web applications and browser extensions, as recommended by security frameworks such as the OWASP Top Ten. Organizations should implement network-based protections such as web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious HTML content before it reaches vulnerable systems. Additionally, user education regarding the dangers of visiting untrusted websites and the importance of keeping browser software updated remains crucial for preventing exploitation of this and similar vulnerabilities. Regular security assessments of browser extensions and toolbars should be conducted to identify and remediate similar issues before they can be exploited by attackers.