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Suggest Exploit
vendor:
Internet Explorer
by:
SecurityFocus
7.5
CVSS
HIGH
Microsoft Internet Explorer Help and Support Center Protocol Handler Abuse
20
CWE
Product Name: Internet Explorer
Affected Version From: Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5
Affected Version To: Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0
Patch Exists: YES
Related CWE: CVE-2002-0647
CPE: o:microsoft:internet_explorer
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 XP
2002

Microsoft Internet Explorer Help and Support Center Protocol Handler Abuse

Microsoft Internet Explorer on Windows XP comes equipped with a protocol handler for the 'Help and Support Center' application. The protocol handler may be specified in links, and when such a link is submitted by the browser, the Help and Control Center will load an appropriate page. However, it has been demonstrated that this behavior may be abused. The browser runs requests to the HCP URI handler with relaxed Security Zone restrictions. One of the Help and Support Center application files (uplddrvinfo.htm) contains an ActiveX control which may be used to delete local files. Since the ActiveX control accepts filenames from the HCP URIs, it is possible for an attacker to abuse this situation via a malicious link. A number of other files are included in the Help and Support Center application which may also be used by a remote attacker to perform various actions on the client system via a maliciously constructed HCP URI.

Mitigation:

Users should avoid clicking on links from untrusted sources.
Source

Exploit-DB raw data:

source: https://www.securityfocus.com/bid/5478/info

Microsoft Internet Explorer on Windows XP comes equipped with a protocol handler for the 'Help and Support Center' application. The protocol handler may be specified in links, and when such a link is submitted by the browser, the Help and Control Center will load an appropriate page. However, it has been demonstrated that this behavior may be abused.

The browser runs requests to the HCP URI handler with relaxed Security Zone restrictions. One of the Help and Support Center application files (uplddrvinfo.htm) contains an ActiveX control which may be used to delete local files. Since the ActiveX control accepts filenames from the HCP URIs, it is possible for an attacker to abuse this situation via a malicious link. Because the browser runs the HCP request with relaxed restrictions, the user is not prompted when the ActiveX control is executed. However, it has been reported that a window with a "Get Help With Your Hardware Device" dialog is displayed when uplddrvinfo.htm is invoked, and that the utility will follow through with the commands if the user closes this window.

A number of other files are included in the Help and Support Center application which may also be used by a remote attacker to perform various actions on the client system via a maliciously constructed HCP URI.

By using the 'hcp:' protocol, it's possible to launch this from a link. The
filename can also include wild cards. Thus, the following link will delete
all files in the 'C:\windows\' directory when the launched window is closed.
(normal file permissions still apply as usual). Sub-directories are not
deleted.

hcp://system/DFS/uplddrvinfo.htm?file://c:\windows\*