BID:8884

Microsoft Windows HTML Help API Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

Info

Microsoft Windows HTML Help API Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

Bugtraq ID:	8884
Class:	Access Validation Error
CVE:
Remote:	No
Local:	Yes
Published:	Oct 24 2003 12:00AM
Updated:	Oct 24 2003 12:00AM
Credit:	Discovered by "Brett Moore" <[email protected]>. This issue was also discovered independantly by Snosoft.
Vulnerable:	Microsoft HTML Help Control 5.2.3735 .1 + Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP4 + Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP3 + Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP2 + Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP1 + Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server + Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server SP4 + Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server SP3 + Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server SP2 + Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server SP1 + Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server + Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP4 + Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP3 + Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP2 + Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP1 + Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional + Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP4 + Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP3 + Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP2 + Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP1 + Microsoft Windows 2000 Server + Microsoft Windows 2000 Server Japanese Edition + Microsoft Windows 2000 Terminal Services SP4 + Microsoft Windows 2000 Terminal Services SP3 + Microsoft Windows 2000 Terminal Services SP2 + Microsoft Windows 2000 Terminal Services SP1 + Microsoft Windows 2000 Terminal Services + Microsoft Windows 98 SP1 + Microsoft Windows 98 j + Microsoft Windows 98 b + Microsoft Windows 98 a + Microsoft Windows 98 + Microsoft Windows 98 With Plus! Pack + Microsoft Windows 98SE + Microsoft Windows ME + Microsoft Windows NT 3.5.1 SP5 alpha + Microsoft Windows NT 3.5.1 SP5 + Microsoft Windows NT 3.5.1 SP4 + Microsoft Windows NT 3.5.1 SP3 + Microsoft Windows NT 3.5.1 SP2 + Microsoft Windows NT 3.5.1 SP1 + Microsoft Windows NT 3.5.1 + Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP6a alpha + Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP6a + Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP6 alpha + Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP6 + Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP5 alpha + Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP5 + Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP4 alpha + Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP4 + Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP3 alpha + Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP3 alpha + Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP3 + Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP2 alpha + Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP2 + Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP1 alpha + Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP1 + Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 alpha + Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 + Microsoft Windows NT 3.5 + Microsoft Windows NT Enterprise Server 4.0 SP6a + Microsoft Windows NT Enterprise Server 4.0 SP6 + Microsoft Windows NT Enterprise Server 4.0 SP5 + Microsoft Windows NT Enterprise Server 4.0 SP4 + Microsoft Windows NT Enterprise Server 4.0 SP3 + Microsoft Windows NT Enterprise Server 4.0 SP2 + Microsoft Windows NT Enterprise Server 4.0 SP1 + Microsoft Windows NT Enterprise Server 4.0 + Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP6a + Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP6 + Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP5 + Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP4 + Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP3 + Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP2 + Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 SP1 + Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 + Microsoft Windows NT Terminal Server 4.0 SP6 + Microsoft Windows NT Terminal Server 4.0 SP5 + Microsoft Windows NT Terminal Server 4.0 SP4 + Microsoft Windows NT Terminal Server 4.0 SP3 + Microsoft Windows NT Terminal Server 4.0 SP2 + Microsoft Windows NT Terminal Server 4.0 SP1 + Microsoft Windows NT Terminal Server 4.0 alpha + Microsoft Windows NT Terminal Server 4.0 + Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP6a + Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP6 + 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 Server 2003 Datacenter Edition + Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition Itanium 0 + Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition + Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition Itanium 0 + Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition + Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Web Edition + Microsoft Windows XP 64-bit Edition SP1 + Microsoft Windows XP 64-bit Edition + Microsoft Windows XP 64-bit Edition Version 2003 + Microsoft Windows XP Embedded SP1 + Microsoft Windows XP Embedded + Microsoft Windows XP Home SP1 + Microsoft Windows XP Home + Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition + Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP1 + Microsoft Windows XP Professional + Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition

Not Vulnerable:

Discussion

Microsoft Windows HTML Help API Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

It has been reported that the Microsoft HTML Help API does not lower the privileges of the invoking application, if they are different from the user, before starting Microsoft Internet Explorer. As a result, it is reportedly possible for attackers to use the MSIE component to navigate to the filesystem and execute commands with the privileges of the application from which the "help" interface was spawned.

Exploit / POC

Microsoft Windows HTML Help API Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

There is no exploit code required.

Solution / Fix

Microsoft Windows HTML Help API Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

Solution:
It is reported that this issue is allegedly addressed by Microsoft Security Bulletin MS04-023. This information is not confirmed at the moment. Please contact Microsoft for more information.

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]>.

References

Microsoft Windows HTML Help API Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

References:

Microsoft Security Bulletin MS04-023 (Microsoft)
HTML Help API - Privilege Escalation ("Brett Moore" )