CVE-2004-2382 in PerfectNav
Summary
by MITRE
The PerfectNav plugin for Microsoft Internet Explorer allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (browser crash) via a malformed URL such as "?".
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/17/2017
The PerfectNav plugin for Microsoft Internet Explorer represents a significant security vulnerability that demonstrates the dangers of inadequate input validation in browser extensions. This flaw specifically affects the plugin's handling of malformed URLs, creating a condition where remote attackers can exploit the software's failure to properly process malformed input. The vulnerability manifests when the plugin encounters a URL containing only a question mark character, which triggers an unexpected behavior in the plugin's parsing logic. This particular attack vector exploits a fundamental weakness in how the plugin processes URL parameters, allowing malicious actors to craft specific URLs that cause the browser to crash.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the plugin's lack of proper boundary checking and input sanitization mechanisms. When Microsoft Internet Explorer processes a URL through the PerfectNav plugin, the software fails to validate or sanitize the input before attempting to parse it. The question mark character in isolation represents an invalid URL structure that the plugin cannot properly handle, leading to a memory access violation or stack corruption that ultimately results in browser termination. This type of flaw falls under the category of buffer overflow conditions and input validation errors that are commonly categorized as CWE-121 and CWE-122 within the CWE database. The vulnerability's classification aligns with the broader category of denial of service attacks that target application stability and availability.
The operational impact of CVE-2004-2382 extends beyond simple browser crashes, representing a potential vector for more sophisticated attacks within the context of the broader attack surface. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to disrupt user productivity by causing repeated browser crashes, or potentially use it as a stepping stone for more complex exploitation techniques. The vulnerability affects users who have the PerfectNav plugin installed, creating a persistent risk for anyone using Microsoft Internet Explorer with this particular plugin enabled. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to the T1499.004 sub-technique related to network denial of service attacks, and could potentially support other techniques such as T1059.001 for command and control operations if used in conjunction with other attack vectors.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate action from system administrators and end users. The most effective immediate solution involves disabling or uninstalling the PerfectNav plugin until a patched version is available, as this removes the attack surface entirely. Organizations should implement browser hardening policies that prevent installation of untrusted plugins and maintain updated software inventories to identify vulnerable components. Security teams should monitor for exploitation attempts and consider implementing network-level controls to block suspicious URL patterns. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper software testing and quality assurance processes, particularly for third-party browser extensions that integrate deeply with core browser functionality. Organizations should establish procedures for regularly auditing installed browser plugins and maintaining updated security patches for all browser components to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in the future.