Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 CSS File memory corruption

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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5.7$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability marked as critical has been reported in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6. This vulnerability affects unknown code of the component CSS File Handler. This manipulation causes memory corruption. This vulnerability is tracked as CVE-2004-0420. The attack is possible to be carried out remotely. Moreover, an exploit is present. The affected component should be disabled.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical was found in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 (Web Browser). Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown code of the component CSS File Handler. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a memory corruption vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-119. The product performs operations on a memory buffer, but it can read from or write to a memory location that is outside of the intended boundary of the buffer. As an impact it is known to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

The Windows Shell application in Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by spoofing the type of a file via a CLSID specifier in the filename, as demonstrated using Internet Explorer 6.0.2800.1106 on Windows XP.

The weakness was disclosed 01/20/2004 by Rafel Ivgi (The Insider) with malware.com as MS04-024 as not defined posting (Bugtraq). It is possible to read the advisory at securityfocus.com. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2004-0420 since 04/19/2004. The attack can be launched remotely. The exploitation doesn't need any form of authentication. It demands that the victim is doing some kind of user interaction. Technical details are unknown but a public exploit is available.

After 1 weeks, there has been an exploit disclosed. It is possible to download the exploit at securityfocus.com. It is declared as proof-of-concept. We expect the 0-day to have been worth approximately $25k-$100k. The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 13642 (MS04-024: Buffer overrun in Windows Shell (839645)), 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 90137 (Microsoft Windows Shell Remote Code Execution (MS04-024)).

Applying a patch is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at windowsupdate.microsoft.com. Attack attempts may be identified with Snort ID 2589. In this case the pattern Content-Disposition|3A| is used for detection. Furthermore it is possible to detect and prevent this kind of attack with TippingPoint and the filter 2634.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at X-Force (14964), Tenable (13642), SecurityFocus (BID 9510†), OSVDB (7802†) and Secunia (SA10736†). Additional details are provided at heise.de. The entry VDB-486 is pretty similar. Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.

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CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
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CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 6.3
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 5.7

VulDB Base Score: 6.3
VulDB Temp Score: 5.7
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

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VulDB Base Score: 🔍
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Exploitinginfo

Class: Memory corruption
CWE: CWE-119
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

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

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Nessus ID: 13642
Nessus Name: MS04-024: Buffer overrun in Windows Shell (839645)
Nessus File: 🔍
Nessus Risk: 🔍
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Threat Intelligenceinfo

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Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Disable
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔍
Exploit Delay Time: 🔍

Patch: windowsupdate.microsoft.com

Snort ID: 2589
Snort Message: WEB-CLIENT Content-Disposition CLSID command attempt
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Snort Pattern: 🔍

Suricata ID: 2102589
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TippingPoint: 🔍

McAfee IPS: 🔍
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SourceFire IPS: 🔍
ISS Proventia IPS: 🔍
PaloAlto IPS: 🔍

Timelineinfo

01/20/2004 🔍
01/21/2004 +1 days 🔍
01/27/2004 +5 days 🔍
01/27/2004 +0 days 🔍
04/19/2004 +83 days 🔍
07/07/2004 +79 days 🔍
07/07/2004 +0 days 🔍
07/13/2004 +6 days 🔍
07/13/2004 +0 days 🔍
07/14/2004 +0 days 🔍
07/12/2025 +7668 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: microsoft.com

Advisory: MS04-024⛔
Researcher: Rafel Ivgi (The Insider)
Organization: malware.com
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2004-0420 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2004-0420
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-487

OVAL: 🔍

CERT: 🔍
X-Force: 14964 - Microsoft Internet Explorer file extension spoofing, High Risk
SecurityFocus: 9510 - Microsoft Windows Shell CLSID File Extension Misrepresentation Vulnerability
Secunia: 10736 - Internet Explorer File Download Extension Spoofing, Moderately Critical
OSVDB: 7802 - Microsoft IE File Download Extension Spoofing
Vulnerability Center: 4723 - [MS04-024] Microsoft Windows Shell API CLSID File Extension Spoofing Enables Code Execution, Medium

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

Created: 01/21/2004 10:45
Updated: 07/12/2025 22:58
Changes: 01/21/2004 10:45 (66), 06/18/2017 20:20 (43), 03/09/2021 10:26 (3), 03/09/2021 10:28 (1), 01/02/2025 17:22 (21), 07/12/2025 22:58 (3)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.

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