Microsoft Internet Explorer A HREF Map authentication spoofing

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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3.9$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability identified as critical has been detected in Microsoft Internet Explorer. This issue affects some unknown processing. The manipulation of the argument A HREF Map leads to authentication spoofing. This vulnerability is listed as CVE-2004-0526. The attack may be initiated remotely. In addition, an exploit is available. It is suggested to swap out the affected component for an alternative.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Microsoft Internet Explorer (Web Browser) (affected version not known) and classified as critical. This issue affects some unknown functionality. The manipulation of the argument A HREF Map with an unknown input leads to a authentication spoofing vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-290. This attack-focused weakness is caused by incorrectly implemented authentication schemes that are subject to spoofing attacks. Impacted is integrity. The summary by CVE is:

Unknown versions of Internet Explorer and Outlook allow remote attackers to spoof a legitimate URL in the status bar via A HREF tags with modified "alt" values that point to the legitimate site, combined with an image map whose href points to the malicious site, which facilitates a "phishing" attack.

The weakness was presented 05/09/2004 by http-equiv with malware.com (Website). The advisory is shared at lists.netsys.com. The identification of this vulnerability is CVE-2004-0526 since 06/03/2004. The attack may be initiated remotely. No form of authentication is needed for a successful exploitation. It demands that the victim is doing some kind of user interaction. Technical details as well as a public exploit are known.

The exploit is available at lists.netsys.com. It is declared as proof-of-concept. We expect the 0-day to have been worth approximately $5k-$25k.

Applying a patch is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at windowsupdate.microsoft.com. The problem might be mitigated by replacing the product with as an alternative. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be establishing an alternative product.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at X-Force (16102), Exploit-DB (24102), SecurityFocus (BID 10308†), OSVDB (6007†) and Secunia (SA11582†). kurczaba.com is providing further details. See VDB-665, VDB-22029 and VDB-82041 for similar entries. 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: 4.3
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 3.9

VulDB Base Score: 4.3
VulDB Temp Score: 3.9
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: Authentication spoofing
CWE: CWE-290 / CWE-287
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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Exploit-DB: 🔍

Threat Intelligenceinfo

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

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Alternative
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔍

Patch: windowsupdate.microsoft.com

Timelineinfo

05/09/2004 🔍
05/10/2004 +1 days 🔍
05/10/2004 +0 days 🔍
05/10/2004 +0 days 🔍
05/12/2004 +1 days 🔍
06/03/2004 +22 days 🔍
08/06/2004 +64 days 🔍
11/23/2004 +109 days 🔍
09/14/2025 +7600 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: microsoft.com

Advisory: lists.netsys.com
Researcher: http-equiv
Organization: malware.com
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2004-0526 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2004-0526
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-653
X-Force: 16102 - Microsoft Internet Explorer and Outlook Express A HREF URL spoofing, Medium Risk
SecurityFocus: 10308 - Microsoft Internet Explorer Embedded Image URI Obfuscation Weakness
Secunia: 11582 - Microsoft Internet Explorer and Outlook URL Obfuscation Issue, Not Critical
OSVDB: 6007 - Microsoft IE/Outlook IMG/HREF Tag Code Execution
SecuriTeam: securiteam.com
Vulnerability Center: 5908 - Spoofing in Microsoft Internet Explorer, Outlook and Outlook Express via A HREF Tags, Medium

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

Entryinfo

Created: 05/12/2004 11:15
Updated: 09/14/2025 04:02
Changes: 05/12/2004 11:15 (84), 04/07/2017 12:00 (2), 09/14/2025 04:02 (23)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216:2E0:103

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