BID:3756

AOL Instant Messenger Font Denial of Service Vulnerability

Info

AOL Instant Messenger Font Denial of Service Vulnerability

Bugtraq ID:	3756
Class:	Failure to Handle Exceptional Conditions
CVE:	CVE-2001-1421
Remote:	Yes
Local:	No
Published:	Oct 06 2001 12:00AM
Updated:	Jul 11 2009 09:06AM
Credit:	Discovered and posted to Bugtraq by Robbie Saunders <[email protected]>.
Vulnerable:	AOL Instant Messenger 4.7 - Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP2 - Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP1 - Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional - Microsoft Windows 95 - Microsoft Windows 98 - Microsoft Windows CE 3.0 - Microsoft Windows CE 2.0 - Microsoft Windows ME - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP6a - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP6 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP5 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP4 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP3 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP2 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP1 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 AOL Instant Messenger 4.6 - Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP2 - Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP1 - Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional - Microsoft Windows 98 - Microsoft Windows CE 3.0 - Microsoft Windows CE 2.0 - Microsoft Windows ME - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP6a - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP5 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP4 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP3 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP2 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP1 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 AOL Instant Messenger 4.5 - Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP2 - Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP1 - Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional - Microsoft Windows 95 - Microsoft Windows 98 - Microsoft Windows CE 3.0 - Microsoft Windows CE 2.0 - Microsoft Windows ME - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP6a - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP6 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP5 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP4 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP3 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP2 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP1 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 AOL Instant Messenger 4.4 - Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP2 - Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP1 - Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional - Microsoft Windows 95 - Microsoft Windows 98 - Microsoft Windows CE 3.0 - Microsoft Windows CE 2.0 - Microsoft Windows ME - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP6a - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP6 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP5 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP4 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP3 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP2 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP1 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 AOL Instant Messenger 4.3 - Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP2 - Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP1 - Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional - Microsoft Windows 95 - Microsoft Windows 98 - Microsoft Windows CE 3.0 - Microsoft Windows CE 2.0 - Microsoft Windows ME - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP6a - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP6 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP5 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP4 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP3 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP2 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP1 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 AOL Instant Messenger 4.2 - Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP2 - Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP1 - Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional - Microsoft Windows 95 - Microsoft Windows 98 - Microsoft Windows CE 3.0 - Microsoft Windows CE 2.0 - Microsoft Windows ME - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP6a - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP5 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP4 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP3 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP2 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP1 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 AOL Instant Messenger 4.1 - Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP2 - Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP1 - Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional - Microsoft Windows 95 - Microsoft Windows 98 - Microsoft Windows CE 3.0 - Microsoft Windows CE 2.0 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP6a - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP6 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP5 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP4 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP3 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP2 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP1 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 AOL Instant Messenger 4.0 - Apple Mac OS 9 9.0 - Microsoft Windows 95 - Microsoft Windows 98 - Microsoft Windows CE 3.0 - Microsoft Windows NT 4.0

Not Vulnerable:

Discussion

AOL Instant Messenger Font Denial of Service Vulnerability

A vulnerability exists in AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) which could cause the AIM client to stop responding.

Attacks can be launched if an instant message containing an unusual number of character fonts followed by the '<hr>' HTML comment, is sent and received by an AIM recipient. Restart of the application may be required in order to regain normal functionality.

It should be noted that HTML comments other than '<hr>' could successfully exploit this issue.

In addition, this vulnerability may also affect Netscape's AIM client.

Exploit / POC

AOL Instant Messenger Font Denial of Service Vulnerability

No exploit is required.

Solution / Fix

AOL Instant Messenger Font Denial of Service Vulnerability

Solution:
Currently the SecurityFocus staff are not aware of any vendor-supplied patches for this issue. If you feel we are in error or are aware of more recent information, please mail us at: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>.

References

AOL Instant Messenger Font Denial of Service Vulnerability

References:

AOL Instant Messenger Home Page (AOL)