Re: Wordpad vulnerability, exploitable also in IE for Win9x

From: Sanford Whiteman (sanford.whitemanat_private)
Date: Thu Feb 24 2000 - 15:29:32 PST

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    Sorry, I don't see this as a real vulnerability, any more than WordPad
    itself is vulnerable.  It's my belief that anything that requires you to
    *double-click* in an external application is well outside of the realm of
    web-based vulnerabilities.  The single-click "view-source:" action itself
    does not count as an exploit, because it only opens an RTF file, and from
    there the user is, in my opinion, fully responsible for his/her actions.
    It's kind of like saying that a file:/// link to c:\ is a vulnerability
    because a non-savvy user might double-click on AUTOEXEC.BAT.  Or like saying
    that a link to a Word Document is a vulnerability because, if the user has
    macro warning turned off, an AutoOpen macro might execute.
    
    I welcome your response(s)...
    
    Sandy Whiteman
    
    -----Original Message-----
    From: Bugtraq List [mailto:BUGTRAQat_private]On Behalf Of
    Charles Skoglund
    Sent: Thursday, February 24, 2000 1:56 AM
    To: BUGTRAQat_private
    Subject: Re: Wordpad vulnerability, exploitable also in IE for Win9x
    
    
    > Georgi Guninski security advisory #7, 2000
    >
    > Wordpad vulnerability, exploitable also in IE for Win9x
    >
    > Disclaimer:
    > The opinions expressed in this advisory and program are my own and not
    > of any company.
    > The usual standard disclaimer applies, especially the fact that Georgi
    > Guninski is not liable for any damages caused by direct or  indirect use
    > of the information or functionality provided by this program.
    > Georgi Guninski, bears NO responsibility for content or misuse of this
    > program or any derivatives thereof.
    >
    > Description:
    > There is a vulnerability in Wordpad which allows executing arbitrary
    > programs without warning the user after activating an embedded or linked
    > object. This may be also exploited in IE for Win9x.
    >
    > Details:
    > Wordpad executes programs embeded in .doc or .rtf documents without any
    > warning if the object is activated by doubleclick.
    > This may be exploited in IE for Win9x using the view-source: protocol.
    > The view-source: protocol starts Notepad, but if the file is large, then
    > the user is asked to use Wordpad. So creating a large .rtf document and
    > creating a HTML view-source: link to it in a HTML page or HTML based
    > email message will prompt the user to use Wordpad and a program may be
    > executed if the user doubleclicks on an object in the opened document.
    >
    > Demonstration which starts AUTOEXEC.BAT:
    > http://www.whitehats.com/guninski/wordpad1.html
    > Workaround: Do not activate objects in Wordpad documents
    >
    > Copyright Georgi Guninski
    >
    > Regards,
    > Georgi Guninski
    > http://www.nat.bg/~joro
    >
    
    I tested it under Word97 running on a Wimpdoze NT4 (SP4), and it works.
    
    Regards
    Charles Skoglund
    
    "Oh my God, they killed Kenny! You bastards!"
    
    quik -/divine/pinnacle/dvniso/dvnmp3/dvnvcd/trb/trbmp3/festis/-
         -/s t i l l b o r n   c r e w   2 0 0 0/-
    
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    <TITLE>RE: Wordpad vulnerability, exploitable also in IE for =
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    <P><FONT SIZE=3D2>Sorry, I don't see this as a real vulnerability, any =
    more than WordPad itself is vulnerable.&nbsp; It's my belief that =
    anything that requires you to *double-click* in an external application =
    is well outside of the realm of web-based vulnerabilities.&nbsp; The =
    single-click &quot;view-source:&quot; action itself does not count as =
    an exploit, because it only opens an RTF file, and from there the user =
    is, in my opinion, fully responsible for his/her actions.&nbsp; It's =
    kind of like saying that a <A HREF=3D"file:///" =
    TARGET=3D"_blank">file:///> link to c:\ is a vulnerability because a =
    non-savvy user might double-click on AUTOEXEC.BAT.&nbsp; Or like saying =
    that a link to a Word Document is a vulnerability because, if the user =
    has macro warning turned off, an AutoOpen macro might =
    execute.</FONT></P>
    
    <P><FONT SIZE=3D2>I welcome your response(s)...</FONT>
    </P>
    
    <P><FONT SIZE=3D2>Sandy Whiteman</FONT>
    </P>
    
    <P><FONT SIZE=3D2>-----Original Message-----</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>From: Bugtraq List [<A =
    HREF=3D"mailto:BUGTRAQat_private">mailto:BUGTRAQat_private=
    OM</A>]On Behalf Of</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>Charles Skoglund</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>Sent: Thursday, February 24, 2000 1:56 AM</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>To: BUGTRAQat_private</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>Subject: Re: Wordpad vulnerability, exploitable also =
    in IE for Win9x</FONT>
    </P>
    <BR>
    
    <P><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; Georgi Guninski security advisory #7, =
    2000</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt;</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; Wordpad vulnerability, exploitable also in IE =
    for Win9x</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt;</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; Disclaimer:</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; The opinions expressed in this advisory and =
    program are my own and not</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; of any company.</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; The usual standard disclaimer applies, =
    especially the fact that Georgi</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; Guninski is not liable for any damages caused =
    by direct or&nbsp; indirect use</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; of the information or functionality provided by =
    this program.</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; Georgi Guninski, bears NO responsibility for =
    content or misuse of this</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; program or any derivatives thereof.</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt;</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; Description:</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; There is a vulnerability in Wordpad which =
    allows executing arbitrary</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; programs without warning the user after =
    activating an embedded or linked</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; object. This may be also exploited in IE for =
    Win9x.</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt;</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; Details:</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; Wordpad executes programs embeded in .doc or =
    .rtf documents without any</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; warning if the object is activated by =
    doubleclick.</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; This may be exploited in IE for Win9x using the =
    view-source: protocol.</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; The view-source: protocol starts Notepad, but =
    if the file is large, then</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; the user is asked to use Wordpad. So creating a =
    large .rtf document and</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; creating a HTML view-source: link to it in a =
    HTML page or HTML based</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; email message will prompt the user to use =
    Wordpad and a program may be</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; executed if the user doubleclicks on an object =
    in the opened document.</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt;</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; Demonstration which starts AUTOEXEC.BAT:</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; <A =
    HREF=3D"http://www.whitehats.com/guninski/wordpad1.html" =
    TARGET=3D"_blank">http://www.whitehats.com/guninski/wordpad1.html></F=
    ONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; Workaround: Do not activate objects in Wordpad =
    documents</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt;</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; Copyright Georgi Guninski</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt;</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; Regards,</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; Georgi Guninski</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt; <A HREF=3D"http://www.nat.bg/~joro" =
    TARGET=3D"_blank">http://www.nat.bg/~joro></FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&gt;</FONT>
    </P>
    
    <P><FONT SIZE=3D2>I tested it under Word97 running on a Wimpdoze NT4 =
    (SP4), and it works.</FONT>
    </P>
    
    <P><FONT SIZE=3D2>Regards</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>Charles Skoglund</FONT>
    </P>
    
    <P><FONT SIZE=3D2>&quot;Oh my God, they killed Kenny! You =
    bastards!&quot;</FONT>
    </P>
    
    <P><FONT SIZE=3D2>quik =
    -/divine/pinnacle/dvniso/dvnmp3/dvnvcd/trb/trbmp3/festis/-</FONT>
    <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -/s t i l l b o r =
    n&nbsp;&nbsp; c r e w&nbsp;&nbsp; 2 0 0 0/-</FONT>
    </P>
    
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