Microsoft IIS 5.1 Virtual Directory input validation

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

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability labeled as critical has been found in Microsoft IIS 5.1. This vulnerability affects unknown code of the component Virtual Directory Handler. Such manipulation leads to input validation. This vulnerability is listed as CVE-2005-4360. In addition, an exploit is available. Restrictive firewalling should be applied.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, has been found in Microsoft IIS 5.1 (Web Server). Affected by this issue is an unknown part of the component Virtual Directory Handler. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a input validation vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-20. The product receives input or data, but it does not validate or incorrectly validates that the input has the properties that are required to process the data safely and correctly. Impacted is availability. CVE summarizes:

The URL parser in Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) 5.1 on Windows XP Professional SP2 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via multiple requests to ".dll" followed by arguments such as "~0" through "~9", which causes ntdll.dll to produce a return value that is not correctly handled by IIS, as demonstrated using "/_vti_bin/.dll/*/~0". NOTE: the consequence was originally believed to be only a denial of service (application crash and reboot).

The bug was discovered 12/16/2005. The weakness was presented 12/19/2005 by Inge Henriksen with Microsoft (Website). The advisory is shared for download at ingehenriksen.blogspot.com. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2005-4360 since 12/20/2005. The attack may be launched remotely. No form of authentication is required for exploitation. Technical details are unknown but a public exploit is available.

After even before and not, there has been an exploit disclosed. The exploit is available at secunia.com. It is declared as proof-of-concept. The vulnerability was handled as a non-public zero-day exploit for at least 1516 days. During that time the estimated underground price was around $5k-$25k. The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 25692 (MS07-041: Vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Information Services Could Allow Remote Code Execution (939373)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment. It is assigned to the family Windows : Microsoft Bulletins and running in the context l. The commercial vulnerability scanner Qualys is able to test this issue with plugin 90288 (Microsoft IIS 5.1 HTTP Requests Remote Code Execution Vulnerability).

Applying a patch is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at windowsupdate.microsoft.com.Addressing this vulnerability is possible by firewalling . The best possible mitigation is suggested to be applying a restrictive firewalling. A possible mitigation has been published 2 years after the disclosure of the vulnerability. Attack attempts may be identified with Snort ID 12064. In this case the pattern /_vti_bin/.dll/ is used for detection. Furthermore it is possible to detect and prevent this kind of attack with TippingPoint and the filter 5461.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at X-Force (35197), Exploit-DB (1376), Tenable (25692), SecurityFocus (BID 15921†) and OSVDB (21805†). See VDB-5623 for similar entry. VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.

Productinfo

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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

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VulDB Base Score: 🔍
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Exploitinginfo

Class: Input validation
CWE: CWE-20
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: 25692
Nessus Name: MS07-041: Vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Information Services Could Allow Remote Code Execution (939373)
Nessus File: 🔍
Nessus Risk: 🔍
Nessus Family: 🔍
Nessus Context: 🔍

Qualys ID: 🔍
Qualys Name: 🔍

Exploit-DB: 🔍

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
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Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Firewall
Status: 🔍

Reaction Time: 🔍
0-Day Time: 🔍
Exposure Time: 🔍

Patch: windowsupdate.microsoft.com

Snort ID: 12064
Snort Message: WEB-IIS w3svc _vti_bin null pointer dereference attempt
Snort Pattern: 🔍
TippingPoint: 🔍

McAfee IPS: 🔍
McAfee IPS Version: 🔍

ISS Proventia IPS: 🔍
PaloAlto IPS: 🔍
Fortigate IPS: 🔍

Timelineinfo

10/25/2001 🔍
12/16/2005 +1513 days 🔍
12/16/2005 +0 days 🔍
12/16/2005 +0 days 🔍
12/17/2005 +1 days 🔍
12/18/2005 +1 days 🔍
12/19/2005 +1 days 🔍
12/19/2005 +0 days 🔍
12/19/2005 +0 days 🔍
12/19/2005 +0 days 🔍
12/20/2005 +0 days 🔍
12/21/2005 +1 days 🔍
07/10/2007 +566 days 🔍
07/10/2007 +0 days 🔍
07/11/2007 +1 days 🔍
06/28/2025 +6562 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: microsoft.com

Advisory: ingehenriksen.blogspot.com
Researcher: Inge Henriksen
Organization: Microsoft
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2005-4360 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2005-4360
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-1928

OVAL: 🔍

X-Force: 35197
SecurityFocus: 15921 - Microsoft Internet Information Server 5.1 DLL Request Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
Secunia: 18106
OSVDB: 21805 - Microsoft IIS Crafted URL Remote DoS
SecurityTracker: 1015376
Vulnerability Center: 15588 - [MS07-041] Microsoft IIS Buffer Overflow Allows Remote Attacker to Cause DoS, High
Vupen: ADV-2005-2963

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

Entryinfo

Created: 12/21/2005 11:38
Updated: 06/28/2025 20:14
Changes: 12/21/2005 11:38 (106), 07/21/2019 16:47 (2), 06/28/2025 20:14 (24)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.

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