TippingPoint Zero Day Initiative
 

Microsoft Internet Explorer Recursive Select Element Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

ZDI-10-288: December 14th, 2010

CVE ID

CVSS Score

Affected Vendors

Affected Products

TippingPoint™ IPS Customer Protection

TippingPoint IPS customers are protected against this vulnerability by Digital Vaccine protection filter ID 10684. For further product information on the TippingPoint IPS:

Vulnerability Details

This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable installations of Microsoft Internet Explorer. User interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability in that the target must visit a malicious page or open a malicious file.

The specific flaw exists within the application's support for the select tag. Upon adding a particular element to the select tag, the application will free the contents of the select element and then use it. Successful exploitation can lead to code execution under the context of the application.

Vendor Response

Microsoft has issued an update to correct this vulnerability. More details can be found at:

Disclosure Timeline

    2010-06-17 - Vulnerability reported to vendor
    2010-12-14 - Coordinated public release of advisory

Credit

This vulnerability was discovered by:
    Stephen Fewer of Harmony Security (www.harmonysecurity.com)