CVE-2006-3729 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
DataSourceControl in Internet Explorer 6 on Windows XP SP2 with Office installed allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via a large negative integer argument to the getDataMemberName method of a OWC11.DataSourceControl.11 object, which leads to an integer overflow and a null dereference.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/12/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-3729 represents a critical integer overflow flaw within the OWC11.DataSourceControl.11 object implementation in Internet Explorer 6 running on Windows XP SP2 with Microsoft Office installed. This issue manifests when the getDataMemberName method receives a large negative integer argument, creating a condition where the application fails to properly validate input parameters before processing them. The flaw operates at the intersection of software security and memory management, specifically targeting the handling of numeric values within COM object interfaces that are commonly used for data binding operations in web applications.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves a precise sequence of operations that leverages the integer overflow condition to create a null pointer dereference scenario. When a malicious actor supplies a large negative integer to the getDataMemberName method, the internal arithmetic operations within the OWC11.DataSourceControl.11 object fail to properly handle the overflow condition, resulting in memory corruption that ultimately leads to application instability and system crash. This vulnerability type aligns with CWE-190, which specifically addresses integer overflow conditions, and demonstrates how improper input validation can create exploitable conditions in COM-based applications. The flaw essentially allows an attacker to manipulate the application's memory management routines through carefully crafted input parameters that exceed the expected numeric ranges.
The operational impact of CVE-2006-3729 extends beyond simple service disruption, as it enables remote attackers to execute denial of service attacks against targeted systems without requiring any authentication or elevated privileges. This vulnerability affects the core web browsing functionality of Internet Explorer 6, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users may encounter malicious web content through email attachments, web browsing, or compromised websites. The attack vector requires only that a user navigate to a malicious webpage or open a specially crafted document that triggers the vulnerable OWC11.DataSourceControl.0bject, making this vulnerability highly exploitable in real-world scenarios and aligning with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks that target application availability.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both the immediate exploitation risk and the underlying architectural issues that enable the flaw. Microsoft addressed this vulnerability through security updates that included proper input validation and bounds checking for integer arguments within the OWC11.DataSourceControl.11 object implementation. Organizations should implement the relevant security patches immediately and consider deploying application whitelisting policies to prevent execution of potentially malicious ActiveX controls. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of secure coding practices, particularly around integer handling and input validation, as specified in industry standards like the CERT Secure Coding Standards. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls and content filtering solutions can provide additional defense in depth, though they cannot fully compensate for the fundamental flaw in the application's memory management routines that this vulnerability exploits.