Microsoft IIS 4.0/5.0 Unicode path traversal

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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6.6$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Microsoft IIS 4.0/5.0. It has been declared as critical. This affects an unknown part of the component Unicode Handler. Such manipulation leads to path traversal. This vulnerability is documented as CVE-2000-0884. Additionally, an exploit exists. This vulnerability has historical importance owing to its background and reception. A patch should be applied to remediate this issue.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Microsoft IIS 4.0/5.0 (Web Server) and classified as critical. Affected by this issue is some unknown processing of the component Unicode Handler. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a path traversal vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-22. The product uses external input to construct a pathname that is intended to identify a file or directory that is located underneath a restricted parent directory, but the product does not properly neutralize special elements within the pathname that can cause the pathname to resolve to a location that is outside of the restricted directory. Impacted is confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

IIS 4.0 and 5.0 allows remote attackers to read documents outside of the web root, and possibly execute arbitrary commands, via malformed URLs that contain UNICODE encoded characters, aka the "Web Server Folder Traversal" vulnerability.

The weakness was released 10/17/2000 with Microsoft as MS00-078 as confirmed bulletin (Technet). The advisory is available at microsoft.com. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2000-0884. The exploitation is known to be easy. The attack may be launched remotely. No form of authentication is required for exploitation. Technical details are unknown but a public exploit is available. The structure of the vulnerability defines a possible price range of USD $0-$5k at the moment (estimation calculated on 10/12/2025). This vulnerability is assigned to T1006 by the MITRE ATT&CK project. This vulnerability has a historic impact due to its background and reception.

After immediately, there has been an exploit disclosed. The exploit is available at marc.theaimsgroup.com. It is declared as proof-of-concept. As 0-day the estimated underground price was around $25k-$100k. The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 10537 (Microsoft IIS Unicode Remote Command Execution), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment. It is assigned to the family Web Servers and running in the context r. The commercial vulnerability scanner Qualys is able to test this issue with plugin 86215 (Microsoft IIS 4.0/5.0 Extended UNICODE Remote Execution Vulnerability (MS00-078)).

Applying the patch MS00-078 is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at microsoft.com. Attack attempts may be identified with Snort ID 494. Furthermore it is possible to detect and prevent this kind of attack with TippingPoint and the filter 1095.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at X-Force (5377), Exploit-DB (189), Tenable (10537), SecurityFocus (BID 1806†) and OSVDB (436†). Entry connected to this vulnerability is available at VDB-16108. If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.

Productinfo

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CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 7.3
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 6.6

VulDB Base Score: 7.3
VulDB Temp Score: 6.6
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: Path traversal
CWE: CWE-22
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

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

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

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Nessus ID: 10537
Nessus Name: Microsoft IIS Unicode Remote Command Execution
Nessus File: 🔍
Nessus Risk: 🔍
Nessus Family: 🔍
Nessus Context: 🔍

OpenVAS ID: 10537
OpenVAS Name: IIS directory traversal
OpenVAS File: 🔍
OpenVAS Family: 🔍

Saint ID: exploit_info/iis_unicode_traversal
Saint Name: IIS Unicode Directory Traversal

Qualys ID: 🔍
Qualys Name: 🔍

Exploit-DB: 🔍

Threat Intelligenceinfo

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

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Patch
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔍
Exploit Delay Time: 🔍

Patch: MS00-078

Snort ID: 494
Snort Message: INDICATOR-COMPROMISE command completed
Snort Class: 🔍

Suricata ID: 2101945
Suricata Class: 🔍
Suricata Message: 🔍

TippingPoint: 🔍

McAfee IPS: 🔍
McAfee IPS Version: 🔍

SourceFire IPS: 🔍
PaloAlto IPS: 🔍
Fortigate IPS: 🔍

Timelineinfo

10/17/2000 🔍
10/17/2000 +0 days 🔍
10/17/2000 +0 days 🔍
10/18/2000 +1 days 🔍
11/18/2000 +31 days 🔍
12/19/2000 +31 days 🔍
09/12/2002 +632 days 🔍
11/26/2002 +74 days 🔍
07/01/2014 +4235 days 🔍
10/12/2025 +4121 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: microsoft.com

Advisory: MS00-078
Organization: Microsoft
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2000-0884 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2000-0884
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-16106

OVAL: 🔍

X-Force: 5377 - Microsoft IIS Unicode translation error allows remote command execution
SecurityFocus: 1806 - Microsoft IIS and PWS Extended Unicode Directory Traversal Vulnerability
OSVDB: 436 - Microsoft IIS Unicode Remote Command Execution
Vulnerability Center: 261 - [MS00-078] IIS 4.0/5.0 Folder Traversal Vulnerability, High

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

Entryinfo

Created: 07/01/2014 17:13
Updated: 10/12/2025 08:55
Changes: 07/01/2014 17:13 (102), 05/25/2025 10:24 (16), 10/12/2025 08:55 (2)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.

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