Vulnerability Note VU#431576

Microsoft Internet Explorer vulnerable to address bar spoofing on double byte character set systems

Overview

Microsoft Internet Explorer contains a vulnerability in how it processes URLs on Double Byte Character Set (DBCS) systems. This could allow an attacker to spoof the address of a web site.

I. Description

Microsoft Internet Explorer contains a canonicalization error when it parses special characters in a URL on a DBCS system. A DBCS system represents characters with either a single byte or a double byte code. DBCS is used with some Asian versions of Microsoft Windows. Because of the error in how IE parses URLs on DBCS systems, a web site operator could make it appear that the content from his or her web site actually originated from another site.

II. Impact

By making a malicious web site appear to be a site that the user trusts, an attacker could convince the user to provide sensitive information.

III. Solution

Apply a patch

Apply the patch referenced in MS04-038.

Systems Affected

Vendor	Status	Date Updated
Microsoft Corporation	Vulnerable	13-Oct-2004

References

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS04-038.mspx
http://securitytracker.com/alerts/2004/Oct/1011643.html

Credit

Thanks to Microsoft for reporting this vulnerability.

This document was written by Will Dormann, based on the information provided in the Microsoft Security Bulletin.

Other Information

Date Public	10/12/2004
Date First Published	10/13/2004 05:42:00 PM
Date Last Updated	10/18/2004
CERT Advisory
CVE-ID(s)	CAN-2004-0844
NVD-ID(s)	CAN-2004-0844
US-CERT Technical Alerts
Metric	1.98
Document Revision	7

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