Microsoft Internet Explorer IFRAME src/name heap-based overflow

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5.7$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability categorized as very critical has been discovered in Microsoft Internet Explorer. This vulnerability affects unknown code of the component IFRAME Handler. The manipulation of the argument src/name results in heap-based overflow. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2004-1050. It is possible to launch the attack remotely. Furthermore, an exploit is available. It is advisable to use an alternative in place of the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Microsoft Internet Explorer (Web Browser) (affected version unknown). It has been classified as very critical. Affected is an unknown functionality of the component IFRAME Handler. The manipulation of the argument src/name with an unknown input leads to a heap-based overflow vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-122. A heap overflow condition is a buffer overflow, where the buffer that can be overwritten is allocated in the heap portion of memory, generally meaning that the buffer was allocated using a routine such as malloc(). This is going to have an impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

Heap-based buffer overflow in Internet Explorer 6 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via long (1) SRC or (2) NAME attributes in IFRAME, FRAME, and EMBED elements, as originally discovered using the mangleme utility, aka "the IFRAME vulnerability" or the "HTML Elements Vulnerability."

The weakness was published 10/24/2004 by SkyLined with felinemenace.org (Website). The advisory is shared for download at lists.netsys.com. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2004-1050 since 11/17/2004. It is possible to launch the attack remotely. The exploitation doesn't require any form of authentication. Successful exploitation requires user interaction by the victim. Technical details and a public exploit are known. The current price for an exploit might be approx. USD $0-$5k (estimation calculated on 09/17/2025). It is expected to see the exploit prices for this product decreasing in the near future.

The exploit is shared for download at lists.netsys.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 15894 (MS04-040: Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (889293)), 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 1228 (Vundo Trojan Detected).

Applying the patch MS04-040 is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at 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. Attack attempts may be identified with Snort ID 15147. In this case the pattern