CVE-2008-0454 in Skype
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-zone scripting vulnerability in the Internet Explorer web control in Skype 3.6.0.244, and earlier 3.5.x and 3.6.x versions, on Windows allows user-assisted remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML in the Local Machine Zone via the Title field of a (1) Dailymotion and possibly (2) Metacafe movie in the Skype video gallery, accessible through a search within the "Add video to chat" dialog, aka "videomood XSS."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/12/2025
This vulnerability represents a cross-zone scripting flaw in Skype's Internet Explorer web control component, specifically affecting versions 3.6.0.244 and earlier within the 3.5.x and 3.6.x release lines on Windows platforms. The issue stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within Skype's video gallery functionality, where the application fails to properly escape or filter user-supplied content in the Title field of embedded video content from external sources. The vulnerability manifests when users interact with the "Add video to chat" dialog and search for videos from platforms such as Dailymotion and potentially Metacafe, creating a scenario where malicious actors can inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML code into the Local Machine Zone context.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a user-assisted remote attack vector where an attacker crafts malicious content in the Title field of video entries within Skype's video gallery. When a victim accesses this content through the Skype interface, the unfiltered script code executes within the Local Machine Zone, bypassing standard security boundaries that typically protect against cross-site scripting attacks. This allows attackers to execute malicious code with the privileges of the local user, potentially leading to full system compromise. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as a Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) weakness, specifically manifesting as a client-side injection flaw that leverages the trust relationship between the application and its users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it creates a persistent threat vector that can be exploited for various malicious activities including credential theft, session hijacking, and system reconnaissance. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to deliver malware payloads, steal sensitive information from the victim's system, or establish persistent backdoors. The Local Machine Zone context provides elevated privileges compared to Internet or Restricted zones, making the attack particularly dangerous as it can access local resources and potentially bypass security controls that would normally protect against such attacks. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1566.001 for Phishing, as it enables attackers to deliver malicious content through seemingly legitimate video sharing platforms.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of affected Skype versions, implementing proper input validation and output encoding for all user-supplied content, and establishing strict content filtering mechanisms within the application's web control components. Organizations should consider deploying web application firewalls to detect and prevent malicious script injection attempts, while also implementing network-based security controls to monitor for suspicious activity related to video content sharing. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper security testing for third-party components and the need for robust input sanitization even in trusted application environments. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar injection vulnerabilities in other web control components, particularly those that handle external content from untrusted sources.