Microsoft Office/Visio/Project 2003 Korean Input Method Editor access control

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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8.7$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability identified as critical has been detected in Microsoft Office, Visio and Project 2003. The impacted element is an unknown function of the component Korean Input Method Editor. This manipulation causes access control. This vulnerability appears as CVE-2006-0008. There is no available exploit. You should upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical was found in Microsoft Office, Visio and Project 2003 (Office Suite Software). Affected by this vulnerability is some unknown functionality of the component Korean Input Method Editor. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a access control vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-264. As an impact it is known to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

The ShellAbout API call in Korean Input Method Editor (IME) in Korean versions of Microsoft Windows XP SP1 and SP2, Windows Server 2003 up to SP1, and Office 2003, allows local users to gain privileges by launching the "shell about dialog box" and clicking the "End-User License Agreement" link, which executes Notepad with the privileges of the program that displays the about box.

The issue has been introduced in 11/17/2003. The weakness was presented 02/14/2006 by ryan as MS06-009 as confirmed bulletin (Technet). The advisory is shared at microsoft.com. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2006-0008 since 11/09/2005. The attack can be launched remotely. The exploitation doesn't need any form of authentication. Neither technical details nor an exploit are publicly available. MITRE ATT&CK project uses the attack technique T1068 for this issue.

It is declared as proof-of-concept. The vulnerability was handled as a non-public zero-day exploit for at least 820 days. During that time the estimated underground price was around $25k-$100k. The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 20909 (MS06-009: Vulnerability in Korean Input Method Could Allow Elevation of Privilege (901190)), 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 90299 (Microsoft Windows Privilege Escalation Vulnerability in Korean Input Method Editor (MS06-009)).

Upgrading eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch MS06-009 is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at windowsupdate.microsoft.com. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version. A possible mitigation has been published immediately after the disclosure of the vulnerability.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at X-Force (24492), Tenable (20909), SecurityFocus (BID 16643†), OSVDB (23136†) and Secunia (SA18859†). If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.

Productinfo

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CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 10.0
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 8.7

VulDB Base Score: 10.0
VulDB Temp Score: 8.7
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
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VulDB Base Score: 🔍
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Exploitinginfo

Class: Access control
CWE: CWE-264
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔍
Status: Proof-of-Concept

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

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Nessus ID: 20909
Nessus Name: MS06-009: Vulnerability in Korean Input Method Could Allow Elevation of Privilege (901190)
Nessus File: 🔍
Nessus Risk: 🔍
Nessus Family: 🔍
Nessus Context: 🔍

Qualys ID: 🔍
Qualys Name: 🔍

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
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Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

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

Patch: MS06-009

Timelineinfo

11/17/2003 🔍
11/09/2005 +723 days 🔍
02/14/2006 +97 days 🔍
02/14/2006 +0 days 🔍
02/14/2006 +0 days 🔍
02/14/2006 +0 days 🔍
02/14/2006 +0 days 🔍
02/14/2006 +0 days 🔍
02/14/2006 +0 days 🔍
02/14/2006 +0 days 🔍
02/14/2006 +0 days 🔍
02/15/2006 +0 days 🔍
02/16/2006 +1 days 🔍
06/25/2025 +7069 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: microsoft.com

Advisory: MS06-009
Researcher: ryan
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2006-0008 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2006-0008
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-2053

OVAL: 🔍

CERT: 🔍
X-Force: 24492 - Microsoft Windows and Office Korean IME privilege elevation, Medium Risk
SecurityFocus: 16643 - Microsoft Windows Korean Input Method Editor Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
Secunia: 18859 - Microsoft Windows / Office Korean Input Method Editor Vulnerability, Moderately Critical
OSVDB: 23136 - Microsoft Windows/Office Korean Input Method Editor (IME) ShellAbout() Privilege Escalation
SecurityTracker: 1015631
Vulnerability Center: 10345 - [MS06-009] Microsoft Windows and Office 2003 Korean Input Method Editor (IME) Privilege Elevation, Medium
Vupen: ADV-2006-0578

Entryinfo

Created: 02/16/2006 14:14
Updated: 06/25/2025 04:44
Changes: 02/16/2006 14:14 (96), 06/14/2019 09:20 (2), 01/24/2025 17:31 (17), 06/25/2025 04:44 (2)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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