CVE-2003-1305 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Internet Explorer allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (resource consumption) via a Javascript src attribute that recursively loads the current web page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/07/2019
Microsoft Internet Explorer suffered from a critical denial of service vulnerability that exploited a flaw in how the browser handled recursive javascript loading operations. This vulnerability specifically targeted the processing of the src attribute within javascript elements, creating a condition where the browser would continuously load the same web page recursively. The flaw existed in the browser's javascript engine and manifested when a malicious web page contained a script tag with a src attribute pointing to the current page itself, creating an infinite loop of page reloads.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability relied on the browser's failure to properly detect and terminate recursive loading sequences. When Internet Explorer encountered a javascript src attribute that referenced the current page, it would initiate a new loading cycle without proper boundary checks or recursion limits. This recursive loading pattern consumed system resources rapidly, leading to excessive memory allocation and cpu usage. The vulnerability was particularly dangerous because it could be triggered through simple web page content without requiring any special privileges or user interaction beyond visiting the malicious site.
The operational impact of this vulnerability was severe as it could completely consume available system resources, causing the browser to become unresponsive or crash entirely. Attackers could craft web pages that would consume all available memory and cpu cycles, effectively rendering the targeted system unusable until the browser process was manually terminated. This resource exhaustion could also impact other applications running on the same system, creating broader service degradation effects. The vulnerability was particularly concerning in enterprise environments where multiple users might be browsing the same malicious content simultaneously, leading to widespread system resource depletion.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-400 which categorizes uncontrolled resource consumption as a significant security concern. The flaw represents a classic example of a resource exhaustion attack that can be executed through web-based content without requiring advanced exploitation techniques. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1499.004 which covers network denial of service attacks, and T1566 which encompasses social engineering techniques used to deliver malicious content. The vulnerability also demonstrates the importance of input validation and boundary checking in web browser implementations, as proper recursion detection mechanisms should have prevented the infinite loading cycle.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability included implementing proper recursion detection within the browser's javascript engine, establishing maximum load limits for recursive operations, and configuring browser security settings to restrict automatic loading of content. Microsoft addressed this issue through security updates that introduced recursion detection mechanisms and resource limits for javascript loading operations. Organizations should have implemented web filtering solutions to block access to known malicious sites and ensured that all systems were updated with the latest security patches. Regular security assessments of web content and browser configurations helped prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities in the broader attack surface.