CVE-2008-4300 in iis
Summary
by MITRE
A certain ActiveX control in adsiis.dll in Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (browser crash) via a long string in the second argument to the GetObject method. NOTE: this issue was disclosed by an unreliable researcher, so it might be incorrect.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/12/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-4300 represents a denial of service flaw within Microsoft Internet Information Services IIS through an ActiveX control component. This issue specifically affects the adsiis.dll library which provides Active Directory Services Interface functionality for IIS environments. The vulnerability manifests when a remote attacker crafts a malicious string input and passes it as the second argument to the GetObject method within the affected ActiveX control. This particular weakness falls under the category of buffer overflows or input validation failures that can lead to application instability and system crashes.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the improper handling of input parameters within the ActiveX control's GetObject method. When a sufficiently long string is provided as the second argument, the control fails to properly validate or sanitize the input before processing it, leading to memory corruption or stack overflow conditions. This type of flaw commonly maps to CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, or CWE-787, representing out-of-bounds write vulnerabilities. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in web environments where ActiveX controls are enabled, as it allows remote attackers to trigger system instability without requiring authentication or elevated privileges.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability enables attackers to perform denial of service attacks against IIS servers by causing web browser crashes or application instability. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it can be executed remotely through web pages that invoke the vulnerable ActiveX control, making it a significant threat in environments where ActiveX functionality remains enabled. The vulnerability's classification as a remote attack means that exploitation does not require physical access to the target system, and can be executed through web browsers that have ActiveX support enabled. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks targeting web applications.
The security implications extend beyond simple browser crashes to potentially disrupt legitimate web services and applications hosted on affected IIS servers. When exploited successfully, the vulnerability can cause cascading effects on web applications that depend on IIS functionality, leading to broader service degradation or complete unavailability of hosted content. Organizations running IIS servers with ActiveX controls enabled should consider this vulnerability as a critical threat requiring immediate attention. The unreliable researcher disclosure note indicates potential challenges in fully validating the vulnerability's scope and exploitation methods, but the fundamental nature of the flaw suggests it represents a genuine security concern that warrants defensive measures.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-4300 should focus on disabling ActiveX controls in web browsers or implementing proper input validation within IIS configurations. Microsoft released patches and updates that address this specific vulnerability, and organizations should ensure their systems are updated with the latest security patches. Network segmentation and access controls can help limit exposure by preventing unauthorized access to systems running vulnerable ActiveX components. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and content filtering solutions can provide additional layers of protection against exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of proper input validation and the risks associated with legacy ActiveX technologies in modern web environments.