CVE-2006-4697 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01, 6, and 7 uses certain COM objects from Imjpcksid.dll as ActiveX controls, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors. NOTE: this issue might be related to CVE-2006-4193.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/05/2025
Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 5.01, 6, and 7 incorporated certain COM objects from the Imjpcksid.dll library as ActiveX controls, creating a critical security vulnerability that enabled remote code execution attacks. This flaw emerged from the improper handling of ActiveX components within the browser's security model, where the Imjpcksid.dll file contained vulnerable COM objects that could be exploited by malicious actors to gain unauthorized system access. The vulnerability stemmed from the browser's trust model that allowed these specific ActiveX controls to execute with elevated privileges, bypassing normal security restrictions. According to CWE-457, this represents a use of a possibly incorrect or unsafe function that allows for the execution of arbitrary code through the manipulation of ActiveX controls.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploited the way Internet Explorer processed and loaded ActiveX components from the Imjpcksid.dll library. Attackers could craft malicious web pages that would automatically load these vulnerable ActiveX controls, which would then execute arbitrary code on the victim's system with the privileges of the user running the browser. The attack vectors were not fully specified in the original CVE description, but typically involved malicious websites or email attachments that would trigger the loading of the compromised ActiveX control. This vulnerability was particularly dangerous because it could be exploited without user interaction once the malicious page was loaded, as the browser would automatically attempt to initialize the vulnerable ActiveX control.
The operational impact of this vulnerability was severe, as it provided attackers with a straightforward path to remote code execution on affected systems. Successful exploitation could result in complete system compromise, allowing attackers to install malware, steal sensitive data, or establish persistent access to the compromised machine. The vulnerability affected a wide range of Internet Explorer versions, making it particularly dangerous given the widespread deployment of these browser versions in corporate and enterprise environments. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability aligns with T1190 - Exploit Public-Facing Application and T1059 - Command and Scripting Interpreter, as it represents a method of exploiting a public-facing application to gain command execution capabilities.
The relationship between CVE-2006-4697 and CVE-2006-4193 indicates that these vulnerabilities were part of a broader class of ActiveX-related security flaws affecting Internet Explorer. Both vulnerabilities were categorized under the same security advisory period, suggesting similar root causes in the browser's ActiveX handling mechanisms. The vulnerability was ultimately resolved through security updates that either patched the specific COM object handling in Imjpcksid.dll or removed the vulnerable ActiveX controls from the browser's trusted component list. Organizations needed to implement immediate security patches and consider disabling ActiveX controls in Internet Explorer to mitigate this risk, as the vulnerability was actively exploited in the wild during the period when it was publicly known.