An information-disclosure vulnerability exists that can
allow an attacker to read files on the local file system of a user who visits a
specially malformed Web site.
The attacker would not be able to add,
change, or delete files. Additionally, the attacker would not be able to use
e-mail to carry out this attack; the vulnerability can only be exploited by way
of a Web site. Customers who use caution when browsing and avoid visiting
unknown or untrustworthy sites are at less risk from this vulnerability.
The vulnerability exists because the XMLHTTP control in the
Microsoft XML Core Services does not respect the Internet Explorer Security
Zone restrictions. This enables a Web page to specify a file on a user's local
system as an XML data source as a means of reading the file.
To resolve this problem, obtain the latest
service pack for Internet Explorer 6. For additional information, click the
following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
328548Â
(http://kbalertz.com/Feedback.aspx?kbNumber=328548/EN-US/
)
How to Obtain the Latest Internet Explorer 6 Service Pack
The following file is available for download from the Microsoft
Download Center:
Release Date:
February 21, 2002
For additional information about how to download
Microsoft Support files, click the following article number to view the article
in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
119591Â
(http://kbalertz.com/Feedback.aspx?kbNumber=119591/EN-US/
)
How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online Services
Microsoft scanned this file for viruses. Microsoft used the most
current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file
was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help to
prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.
The English version of this fix should have the
following file attributes or later:
Date Version Size File name Platform
--------------------------------------------------------
15-Feb-2002 8.20.9415.0 1 1,120,768 Msxml3.dll x86
To install the patch silently and without a restart, use the the following switches: /q:a /c:"dahotfix /q /n"
Microsoft has
confirmed that this problem may cause a degree of security vulnerability in
Microsoft XML 3.0. This problem was first corrected in Internet Explorer 6
Service Pack 1.
Affected versions of MSXML ship as part of several
products. You must apply the patch to systems with any of the following
Microsoft products:
- Microsoft Windows XP
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0
- Microsoft SQL Server 2000
MSXML can also be installed separately. MSXML is installed as a
DLL in the System32 subfolder of the Windows operating system folder. On most
systems, this is C:\Windows or C:\winnt. If you have any or all of the
following files in the System32 folder, you need the patch:
- Msxml2.dll
- Msxml3.dll
- Msxml4.dll
If you have only Msxml.dll, you do not need the patch because
this is an earlier, unaffected version.
For more information about
this vulnerability, visi the following Microsoft Web site: