Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 URL History information disclosure

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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5.3$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0. It has been declared as problematic. This impacts an unknown function of the component URL History Handler. Such manipulation leads to information disclosure. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-1999-1235. An attack has to be approached locally. Furthermore, there is an exploit available. It is recommended to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 (Web Browser). It has been rated as problematic. Affected by this issue is some unknown processing of the component URL History Handler. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a information disclosure vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-200. The product exposes sensitive information to an actor that is not explicitly authorized to have access to that information. Impacted is confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

Internet Explorer 5.0 records the username and password for FTP servers in the URL history, which could allow (1) local users to read the information from another user's index.dat, or (2) people who are physically observing ("shoulder surfing") another user to read the information from the status bar when the user moves the mouse over a link.

The issue has been introduced in 06/02/1998. The weakness was shared 08/25/1999 as not defined posting (NTBugtraq). The advisory is shared for download at ntbugtraq.ntadvice.com. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-1999-1235. The exploitation is known to be easy. The attack needs to be approached locally. No form of authentication is required for exploitation. Technical details are unknown but a public exploit is available. The MITRE ATT&CK project declares the attack technique as T1592.

The exploit is available at exploit-db.com. It is declared as proof-of-concept. The vulnerability was handled as a non-public zero-day exploit for at least 449 days. During that time the estimated underground price was around $5k-$25k.

Upgrading to version 6 eliminates this vulnerability.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at X-Force (3289) and Exploit-DB (19473). Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

Productinfo

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Version

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CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 5.9
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 5.3

VulDB Base Score: 5.9
VulDB Temp Score: 5.3
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
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VectorComplexityAuthenticationConfidentialityIntegrityAvailability
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VulDB Base Score: 🔍
VulDB Temp Score: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Information disclosure
CWE: CWE-200 / CWE-284 / CWE-266
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: No

Availability: 🔍
Access: Public
Status: Proof-of-Concept
Download: 🔍

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

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Exploit-DB: 🔍

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔍

Upgrade: Internet Explorer 6

Timelineinfo

06/02/1998 🔍
08/25/1999 +449 days 🔍
08/25/1999 +0 days 🔍
06/21/2014 +5414 days 🔍
04/19/2026 +4320 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: microsoft.com

Advisory: ntbugtraq.ntadvice.com
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-1999-1235 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-1999-1235
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-14804
X-Force: 3289 - Microsoft Internet Explorer 5 FTP username and password in plain text

scip Labs: https://www.scip.ch/en/?labs.20161013

Entryinfo

Created: 06/21/2014 21:36
Updated: 04/19/2026 11:23
Changes: 06/21/2014 21:36 (44), 04/07/2017 12:06 (12), 01/26/2025 06:53 (26), 04/19/2026 11:23 (1)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

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