CVE-2002-2169 in Instant Messenger
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting vulnerability AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) 4.5 and 4.7 for MacOS and Windows allows remote attackers to conduct unauthorized activities, such as adding buddies and groups to a user s buddy list, via a URL with a META HTTP-EQUIV="refresh" tag to an aim: URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/26/2025
This cross-site scripting vulnerability exists in AOL Instant Messenger versions 4.5 and 4.7 for both MacOS and Windows operating systems, representing a significant security flaw that enables remote attackers to manipulate user sessions through malicious web content. The vulnerability specifically manifests when users encounter a webpage containing a META HTTP-EQUIV="refresh" tag that directs to an aim: URL, creating a dangerous attack vector that can be exploited across multiple platforms. The flaw falls under CWE-79, which categorizes cross-site scripting vulnerabilities as a critical weakness in web applications and client-side software, where the system fails to properly validate or sanitize user-supplied input before processing it.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the way AIM handles URL redirection and refresh mechanisms within its client application. When a user visits a malicious webpage containing the crafted META refresh tag, the browser automatically redirects to an aim: URL that the AIM client attempts to process. This process allows attackers to inject arbitrary commands that are executed within the context of the user's AIM session, effectively enabling unauthorized actions such as adding buddies and groups to a user's buddy list without their knowledge or consent. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic case of insufficient input validation where the application trusts user-provided content without proper sanitization, making it susceptible to manipulation through crafted web content.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized buddy list modifications, as it represents a fundamental breach in the security model of AIM's client-side implementation. Attackers can leverage this flaw to conduct social engineering campaigns by adding malicious contacts to user lists, potentially leading to further exploitation through phishing attempts or credential harvesting. The vulnerability affects both MacOS and Windows platforms, indicating a widespread issue within the AIM client architecture that could compromise user communication privacy and security. This flaw also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190, which describes the use of malicious web content to gain initial access or persistence within a target environment, making it a particularly dangerous vulnerability for enterprise users who rely on AIM for business communications.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper input validation and sanitization within the AIM client application, ensuring that any URL redirection or refresh mechanisms properly validate and sanitize all user-provided content before processing. Users should be advised to avoid visiting untrusted websites while AIM is running, as the vulnerability can be exploited through web browser interactions. The security community should also consider implementing content security policies that prevent automatic URL redirection from web pages to instant messaging applications, as this would eliminate the attack vector entirely. Additionally, regular security updates and patches should be deployed immediately to address the vulnerability, as the flaw represents a critical security risk that could be easily exploited by threat actors. Organizations using AIM should also implement network monitoring to detect unusual buddy list modifications that might indicate exploitation of this vulnerability, while considering the broader implications for client-side security in instant messaging applications.