Re: Crashing X

From: John Scimone (jscimoneat_private)
Date: Fri Dec 07 2001 - 15:49:30 PST

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    If this is true couldn't a malicious website simply set the initial value of 
    the form then use javascript to submit it upon loading the page causing the 
    clients X to crash?
    
    ie.
    
    <input type="text" value="(9000 A's)">
    
    and have a body onload=document.forms[0].submit()?
    
    John Scimone
    CS Major @ Ga Tech
    
    
    On Friday 07 December 2001 04:26 pm, you wrote:
    > I have discovered a little bug in K Desktop 2.1.2 that crashes your X
    > Server.
    >
    > By using the konqueror web browser and inputting around 9000+ A's (or
    > whatever) into a search box (for instance www.yahoo.com's web search box) -
    > this will crash your X environment.
    >
    > I have successfully done it using 9000 A's on one search box (crashing X
    > instantly),  then I used 90'000 and it also worked - but without immediate
    > effect (took a few seconds).
    >
    > It also sometimes seems to work by just pasting 900000 A's into a search
    > box and before it even displays the A's X crashes.  (note: If you want it
    > to display the A's before X crashes paste 9000, then as soon as you click
    > to start the search - its bye bye X).
    >
    > Sorry but I can only test it on KDE 2.1.2, because I have no other systems
    > available right now.
    >
    > By the way:
    >
    > [smackenz@mainframe smackenz]$ uname -a
    > Linux mainframe 2.4.2-2 #1 Sun Apr 8 20:41:30 EDT 2001 i686 unknown
    > (Rehat 7.1)
    > (KDE 2.1.2)
    > (this works in Gnome and KDE using with the konqueror web browser)
    >
    > To test simply use a shell and type:
    >
    > perl -e 'print "A" x 9000'
    >
    > Then copy these, and paste them into a search form.
    >
    > Also I tried this in netscape and it didn't work so it suggests its a
    > konqueror error somewhere or other.
    >
    > Cheers
    >
    > Scott Mackenzie
    



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