[NEWS] Hotmail Cross-Site Scripting Vulnerability (IE gte)

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To: list@securiteam.com
Date: 20 Dec 2004 18:34:30 +0200

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  Hotmail Cross-Site Scripting Vulnerability (IE gte)
------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY

Finjan has discovered a script injection vulnerability in Hotmail that
allows a remote attacker to execute malicious scripts when the victim is
reading his/her mail, this vulnerability exploits Hotmail's in ability to
properly detect JavaScript "protected" by an Internet Explorer internal
proprietary tag parser (<! [if IE gte 4]>).

DETAILS

Hotmail's mobile code filtering mechanism is based on an active content
filter whose purpose is to block the injection of any active content into
Hotmail messages. Hotmail's filter identifies any possibly malicious HTML
tags, properties and elements, and then modifies them into a non-malicious
code.

When analyzing an HTML condition comment tag (for example: < ![if IE gte
4]> ), Hotmail's filter changes it to a comment (e.g. < ! [if IE gte 4]>
). A space character is added after the ! , making the code inside the
condition be treated as a comment rather than as an executable. Any
potentially malicious code inside the condition is not altered.

For example:
< ! [if IE gte 4]>< style>@\im\port'\ja\vasc\ript:alert()';</style>

In order to bypass this protection, a comment tag can be added before the
condition tag.

For example:
< !-- <![if IE gte 4]>< style>@\im\port'\ja\vasc\ript:alert()';</style>

At this stage the code is harmless since Internet browsers treat this
script as an HTML comment. However, a possible risk arises when an HTML
condition comment tag opener ( <! ) is inserted at the beginning of the
code.

For example:
< ! < !-- <![if IE gte 4]><
style>@\im\port'\ja\vasc\ript:alert()';</style>

Since Hotmail's HTML filter treats this code as a comment, it does not
filter out the script. In contrast, Internet browsers do not treat this
script as a comment, but rather execute the code inside the condition tag.
In this manner, any tag that supports style, events or JavaScript
execution can be used to remotely call a JavaScript
file.

The injected JavaScript code could be used for:
 * Automatically launching malicious code
 * Stealing the victim s password by using a spoofed re-login window
 * Reading the victim s INBOX and contacts
 * Sending email messages without any user authorization

Proof of Concept:
< !
< !--
< ![if IE gte 4]>< style>@\im\port'\ja\vasc\ript:alert()';</style>

Vulnerability Status
Vendor was notified on Sep 8th, 2004. The bug is now fixed.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The information has been provided by <mailto:theinsider@012.net.il> Rafel
Ivgi, The-Insider.

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