CVE-2007-0612 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple ActiveX controls in Microsoft Windows 2000, XP, 2003, and Vista allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (Internet Explorer crash) by accessing the bgColor, fgColor, linkColor, alinkColor, vlinkColor, or defaultCharset properties in the (1) giffile, (2) htmlfile, (3) jpegfile, (4) mhtmlfile, (5) ODCfile, (6) pjpegfile, (7) pngfile, (8) xbmfile, (9) xmlfile, (10) xslfile, or (11) wdfile objects in (a) mshtml.dll; or the (12) TriEditDocument.TriEditDocument or (13) TriEditDocument.TriEditDocument.1 objects in (b) triedit.dll, which cause a NULL pointer dereference.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/13/2021
This vulnerability resides in the mshtml.dll and triedit.dll components of Microsoft Windows operating systems including Windows 2000, XP, 2003, and Vista. The flaw manifests through multiple ActiveX controls that handle various file types including graphics formats like giffile, jpegfile, and pngfile, as well as document formats such as htmlfile, xmlfile, and xslfile. These controls expose properties related to color formatting including bgColor, fgColor, linkColor, alinkColor, vlinkColor, and defaultCharset that when accessed improperly can trigger system instability. The vulnerability represents a classic null pointer dereference issue that occurs when the software attempts to access memory locations that have not been properly initialized or allocated.
The technical execution of this vulnerability involves remote attackers exploiting the ActiveX controls through Internet Explorer by manipulating the color-related properties of various file objects. When these properties are accessed, the underlying code in mshtml.dll and triedit.dll fails to properly validate pointer references, leading to a null pointer dereference condition. This condition causes Internet Explorer to crash and terminate unexpectedly, resulting in a denial of service condition that affects the user's ability to access web content. The vulnerability affects both the htmlfile and various image-related file objects as well as the TriEditDocument objects, demonstrating the widespread nature of the flaw across multiple component libraries.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to enterprise environments where Internet Explorer remains the primary browser for accessing internal web applications and corporate resources. The denial of service condition can be exploited by attackers to disrupt user productivity and potentially serve as a precursor to more sophisticated attacks. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that users can be compromised simply by visiting malicious websites or opening specially crafted documents, making it particularly dangerous in targeted attack scenarios. Organizations using older Windows versions that are no longer supported receive no security updates, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation of this and similar flaws.
The vulnerability maps directly to CWE-476 which describes NULL pointer dereference conditions, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 for legitimate program execution and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter. Mitigation strategies should include immediate deployment of Microsoft security patches, disabling ActiveX controls in Internet Explorer, implementing browser security policies, and employing network-based protections such as web application firewalls. Organizations should also consider transitioning to more modern browsers that have better security implementations and regular update cycles. Additionally, user education regarding safe browsing practices and the avoidance of untrusted websites remains crucial in reducing the attack surface for this type of vulnerability.