CVE-2007-6492 in iMesh
Summary
by MITRE
The IMWeb.IMWebControl.1 ActiveX control in IMWeb.dll 7.0.0.x, and possibly IMWebControl.dll, in iMesh 7.1.0.x and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (Internet Explorer 7 crash) via an empty string in the argument to the ProcessRequestEx method.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/31/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-6492 represents a critical denial of service flaw within the iMesh messaging application suite, specifically affecting the IMWeb.IMWebControl.1 ActiveX control that is embedded in the IMWeb.dll component version 7.0.0.x and potentially in IMWebControl.dll. This vulnerability manifests when the ProcessRequestEx method receives an empty string argument, which triggers an unhandled exception in Internet Explorer 7's rendering engine, ultimately leading to browser crash and system instability. The flaw exists at the intersection of ActiveX component design and web browser security model, where improper input validation allows malicious actors to exploit the control's method invocation mechanism. The vulnerability falls under CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of array indices and buffer overflows, though in this case the issue stems from string handling rather than memory corruption directly.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires minimal effort from an attacker as it only necessitates passing an empty string parameter to the ProcessRequestEx method through the vulnerable ActiveX control. When Internet Explorer 7 attempts to process this empty string argument, the control fails to properly validate the input, resulting in an exception that crashes the browser process. This behavior demonstrates a classic buffer overflow or input validation failure where the application assumes all inputs will contain valid data, leading to improper handling of edge cases such as empty strings. The vulnerability's impact is particularly severe in enterprise environments where iMesh is deployed, as it can be leveraged to disrupt communication services and potentially serve as a precursor to more sophisticated attacks.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability creates significant risks for organizations relying on iMesh for instant messaging services, particularly those with Internet Explorer 7 as their primary browser. The denial of service condition affects not just individual users but can potentially disrupt group communications and collaboration platforms that depend on the iMesh infrastructure. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to repeatedly crash browser sessions, making the messaging application unusable for legitimate users. The vulnerability also demonstrates poor software security practices in ActiveX control development, where proper input sanitization and error handling mechanisms were not implemented to prevent malformed inputs from causing application failures. This flaw aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which covers the use of web-based attack techniques to cause service disruption, and represents a fundamental lack of defensive programming practices.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-6492 should prioritize immediate patching of the iMesh application to version 7.1.1 or later, where the vulnerability has been addressed through proper input validation. System administrators should implement browser security policies that restrict ActiveX control execution or disable the specific vulnerable control through registry modifications. Network-based mitigations could include implementing web application firewalls that detect and block malformed ActiveX method calls, while endpoint protection solutions should be configured to monitor for suspicious ActiveX behavior patterns. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of secure coding practices and input validation, particularly for components that interact with web browsers and user-supplied data. Organizations should conduct regular security assessments of ActiveX controls and other browser plugins to identify similar input validation flaws that could be exploited for denial of service or other security impacts. Additionally, user education regarding the risks of executing potentially malicious ActiveX controls in web browsers remains crucial for overall security posture maintenance.