IE bug can crash browser

Microsoft said it is investigating

By Robert McMillan

July 1, 2005 12:00 PM ET

Recommended

Computerworld - Security researchers have discovered a bug in Microsoft Corp.'s Internet Explorer browser that can cause the software to crash and that could possibly be used to let an attacker run unauthorized software on the user's machine.
The bug, which was first discovered by researchers at Austrian security consulting firm SEC Consult Unternehmensberatung GmbH and reported to Microsoft several weeks ago, concerns the way Internet Explorer handles certain software modules.
Microsoft has confirmed that the bug exists and is investigating the matter, said spokeswoman Kjersti Gunderson. The company is not aware of any attacks that have exploited this vulnerability, she added.
By loading HTML pages that make use of certain ActiveX components, researchers were able to overwrite registers on the computer's processor, said Martin Eisner, chief technical officer at SEC Consult. This technique could theoretically be used to fill parts of the computer's memory with malicious code, creating what is called a "heap-based buffer overflow," he said.
"It's possible to crash Internet Explorer," Eisner said. "Executing arbitrary code might be possible; we could not confirm that now."
Eisner expects Microsoft to patch the bug within a few weeks. "Right now it's not that dangerous," he said. "But of course within a couple of weeks there will be somebody who has a little bit more time than we have and there will be an exploit then."

Recommend Digg Twitter ShareThis

Email Print Send Feedback Reprints

Jump to comments

Security

Additional Resources

WHITE PAPER

Do You Know the 7 Steps to Successful Data Migration?

Approximately 60 percent of data migration projects overrun time or budget, while some fail completely. Download this white paper, "Enhancing Your Chance for Successful Data Migration," to learn the critical steps you need to take to execute a data migration project with minimum cost and risk to your business.

WHITE PAPER

Total Cost of Ownership of Server Computing Vs. PCs

Read the Gartner research note to learn why the TCO of a server-based computing deployment used to deliver all applications to users is around 50% lower than that of an unmanaged desktop deployment.

WHITE PAPER

IDC White Paper: Linux in a Global Recession

Economic downturns have a tendency to accelerate emerging technologies, boost the adoption of effective solutions, and punish solutions that are not cost competitive or that are out of synch with industry trends. This IDC White Paper presents the results of an IDC survey of 330 companies in Western Europe, Asia/Pacific and the Americas that measures the receptiveness to Linux and takes into consideration changing views driven by the disruptive economic environment that businesses face today.

White Papers & Webcasts

Informatica 9 Launch: Transform your Business. Transform your world.

LIVE Nov 10, 2009 12:00 PM ET

Architecting Business Intelligence Applications for Change: The Open Solution

LIVE Nov 12, 2009 02:00 PM ET

The State of PCI DSS Compliance at Organizations Today
Download this resource today!

Managing Secure File Transfer to Save Time, Money and IT Resources
Learn how companies are using innovative technology to overcome these challenges and improve user productivity by offloading e-mail attachments and replacing FTP with...

Can Heuristic Technology Help Your Company Fight Viruses?
What is Heuristic Technology and how can it help safeguard your business against viruses? Learn more.

Security Convergence Equals Network Security Cost Savings
Listen to IBM Internet Security Systems' take on network security convergence.

Why Email Must Operate 24/7 and How to Make This Happen
Learn how to avoid an email outage by implementing a hosted email continuity solution.

Lower the Cost and Complexity of a Mobile Workforce through Automation
Download This Resource Now!

Eradicate Spam & Gain 100% Asurance of Clean Mailboxes
Get this paper now!

Managing Mobility: Improve Data Security, Compliance and Manageability
Download This Resource Now!

Mastering eDiscovery: The IT Manager's Guide to Preservation, Protection & Production
Get this paper now!

Disaster Recovery 2008: Reduced Costs and Improved Performance
How long can your Enterprise afford to be without your data? With an accelerated disaster recovery program, you never have to answer this...

All White Papers | All Webcasts