CVE-2007-3406 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple absolute path traversal vulnerabilities in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 on Windows XP SP2 allow remote attackers to access arbitrary local files via the file: URI in the (1) src attribute of a (a) bgsound, (b) input, (c) EMBED, (d) img, or (e) script tag; (2) data attribute of an object tag; (3) value attribute of a param tag; (4) background attribute of a body tag; or (5) the background:url attribute declared in the BODY parameter of a STYLE tag.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/20/2021
This vulnerability represents a critical absolute path traversal flaw in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 running on Windows XP Service Pack 2 systems. The vulnerability exists within the browser's handling of file URI schemes and allows remote attackers to access arbitrary local files on the victim's system through carefully crafted HTML content. The flaw specifically affects how IE processes file paths in various HTML attributes, creating multiple attack vectors that can be exploited through different HTML tag structures. This issue stems from insufficient validation of file paths in the browser's security model, allowing malicious actors to bypass normal file access restrictions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when Internet Explorer processes HTML elements containing file URIs in specific attributes. Attackers can construct malicious web pages that include file: URIs in the src attribute of bgsound, input, embed, img, or script tags, or in the data attribute of object tags, value attribute of param tags, background attribute of body tags, or background:url declarations within STYLE tags. The browser's failure to properly sanitize these file paths enables attackers to traverse the file system and access files that should normally be restricted. This type of vulnerability maps directly to CWE-22, which describes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it allows attackers to access sensitive local files including configuration files, user data, and system resources that are typically protected from web-based access. An attacker could potentially retrieve passwords stored in configuration files, access user documents, or even obtain system-level information that could be used for further exploitation. The vulnerability affects a broad range of file access scenarios since it covers multiple HTML tag attributes and elements, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through various attack vectors. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 which involves executing malicious code through web browsers, and T1566 which covers social engineering via malicious web content.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediate patching of affected systems through Microsoft's security updates, which would address the core path traversal implementation flaws in Internet Explorer. Organizations should also implement web content filtering solutions to block potentially malicious file URI references and consider disabling unnecessary HTML elements that could be exploited. Browser security settings should be configured to restrict local file access, and users should be educated about the dangers of visiting untrusted websites. Additionally, network segmentation and firewall rules can help limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and the need for robust security models in web browsers to prevent unauthorized local file access through web-based attack vectors.