Vulnerability Note VU#866305

Microsoft Cryptographic API Component Object Model Certificates ActiveX control contains a remote code execution vulnerability

Original Release date: 08 May 2007 | Last revised: 14 Aug 2007

Overview

Microsoft Cryptographic API Component Object Model (CAPICOM) Certificates ActiveX control contains a vulnerability that may allow a remote, unauthenticated attacker to execute arbitrary code.

Description

The Microsoft Cryptographic API Component Object Model (CAPICOM) Certificates ActiveX control provides a method of encrypting data using Windows CryptoAPI functionality. A vulnerability exists in the way that the CAPICOM.Certificates control validates input. By convincing a user to visit a malicious web site, an attacker may be able to execute arbitrary code.

Impact

A remote, unauthenticated attacker may be able to gain control of the system, execute arbitrary code, or access the system with escalated privileges.

Solution

Apply an Update

Microsoft has released updates in Microsoft Security Bulletin MS07-028 to address this issue.

This control also has been disabled via the kill bit in Microsoft Security Bulletin MS07-045.

Workarounds

Disable the CAPICOM.Certificate ActiveX control in Internet Explorer.

The CAPICOM Certificate ActiveX control can be disabled in Internet Explorer by setting the kill bit for the following CLSIDs:

    {17E3A1C3-EA8A-4970-AF29-7F54610B1D4C}
    {FBAB033B-CDD0-4C5E-81AB-AEA575CD1338}
More information about how to set the kill bit is available in Microsoft Support Document 240797.

Microsoft has releases several additional workarounds to mitigate this issue. Please see Microsoft Security Bulletin MS07-028 for further details.

Systems Affected (Learn More)

VendorStatusDate NotifiedDate Updated
Microsoft CorporationAffected-08 May 2007
If you are a vendor and your product is affected, let us know.

CVSS Metrics (Learn More)

Group Score Vector
Base N/A N/A
Temporal N/A N/A
Environmental N/A N/A

References

Credit

This vulnerability was reported in Microsoft Security Bulletin MS07-028. Microsoft credits Chris Ries of VigilantMinds Inc. for reporting the vulnerability to them.

This document was written by Katie Steiner.

Other Information

  • CVE IDs: CVE-2007-0940
  • Date Public: 08 May 2007
  • Date First Published: 08 May 2007
  • Date Last Updated: 14 Aug 2007
  • Severity Metric: 3.09
  • Document Revision: 17

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