CVE-2007-5107 in Ask Toolbar
Summary
by MITRE
Stack-based buffer overflow in the AskJeevesToolBar.SettingsPlugin.1 ActiveX control in askBar.dll in IAC Search & Media ask.com Ask Toolbar 4.0.2.53 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a long ShortFormat property value. NOTE: some of these details are obtained from third party information. NOTE: the researcher claims that this is the same as CVE-2007-5108, but there is insufficient detail for CVE-2007-5108 to be certain.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/04/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-5107 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow affecting the AskJeevesToolBar.SettingsPlugin.1 ActiveX control within the IAC Search & Media ask.com Ask Toolbar version 4.0.2.53 and earlier. This flaw exists within the askBar.dll component and specifically targets the ShortFormat property, creating a dangerous condition that enables remote code execution. The vulnerability manifests when an attacker provides an excessively long value to the ShortFormat property, causing the application to overwrite adjacent memory on the stack. This type of buffer overflow directly aligns with CWE-121, which categorizes stack-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows data to overwrite adjacent stack memory locations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the inherent weaknesses in ActiveX control parameter validation within the Windows Internet Explorer environment. When the vulnerable ActiveX control processes the ShortFormat property, it fails to properly validate input length, allowing malicious actors to craft specially crafted input that exceeds the allocated buffer space. The overflow occurs during the processing of user-supplied data, where the control does not perform adequate bounds checking before copying data into a fixed-size stack buffer. This condition creates a predictable memory corruption scenario that can be leveraged to overwrite return addresses and function pointers, ultimately enabling attackers to redirect program execution flow.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it represents a significant security risk for users running affected versions of the Ask Toolbar. Attackers can exploit this weakness through various delivery mechanisms including malicious websites, email attachments, or compromised web pages that embed the vulnerable ActiveX control. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that users do not need physical access to the target system, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users may inadvertently visit malicious sites. This type of attack vector corresponds to ATT&CK technique T1190, which describes the use of compromised websites for initial access and execution.
The implications of CVE-2007-5107 extend to the broader context of ActiveX security vulnerabilities that were prevalent during the mid-2000s era, when many browser-based applications relied heavily on ActiveX controls for enhanced functionality. The vulnerability demonstrates the inherent risks of component-based development where third-party controls are integrated without sufficient security validation. Organizations running affected versions face potential compromise through privilege escalation attacks, where attackers could execute malicious code with the privileges of the user running the vulnerable toolbar. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper input validation and bounds checking in application security, as these fundamental protections were absent in the vulnerable implementation. Security professionals should note that similar vulnerabilities were commonly found in ActiveX controls during this period, making this issue representative of a larger class of security flaws in legacy software components. Mitigation efforts should focus on immediate patching of the affected toolbar, disabling ActiveX controls in web browsers, or implementing additional security measures such as browser sandboxing and application whitelisting to prevent exploitation of this and similar vulnerabilities.