AOL Instant Messenger Link Special Character Remote Heap Overflow Vulnerability

Bugtraq ID:	5492
Class:	Boundary Condition Error
CVE:
Remote:	Yes
Local:	No
Published:	Aug 18 2002 12:00AM
Updated:	Aug 18 2002 12:00AM
Credit:	Vulnerability discovery credited to a b <[email protected]>
Vulnerable:	AOL Instant Messenger 4.8.2616 - Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP2 - Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP1 - Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional - Microsoft Windows 95 SR2 - Microsoft Windows 95 - Microsoft Windows 98 - Microsoft Windows 98SE - 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 4.8 .2646 - Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP2 - Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP1 - Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional - Microsoft Windows 95 - Microsoft Windows 98 - Microsoft Windows ME - Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP6a - Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP5 - Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP4 - Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP3 - Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP2 - Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP1 - Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 - Microsoft Windows XP Home AOL Instant Messenger 4.7.2480 - 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 4.7 - 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
Not Vulnerable:

AOL Instant Messenger Link Special Character Remote Heap Overflow Vulnerability

AIM is the AOL Instant Messenger. It is available for various platforms, including Linux and Microsoft Windows. This vulnerability affects the Windows client.

A problem has been reported in the handling of special characters. When an URL is sent to a user containing special characters that must be converted to addressable format, an overflow may occur. This has reportedly been reproduced to create a denial of service.

AOL Instant Messenger Link Special Character Remote Heap Overflow Vulnerability

The following procedure has been reported by a b <[email protected]> as producing a denial of service:

Craft the URL to be sent to the victim. Lets use spaces since they get
converted to %20 by AIM :). We could use other extended ASCII, etc.
Fill the whole URL up to the end (the "protected" buffer dist), which is 172
chars. (172 * 2 = 344).

AOL Instant Messenger Link Special Character Remote Heap Overflow Vulnerability

Solution:
Currently we 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]>.

AOL Instant Messenger Link Special Character Remote Heap Overflow Vulnerability

References:

• AOL Instant Messenger Home Page (AOL)