Software Engineering Institute

Particle Software IntraLaunch is an ActiveX control that "... allows web page links to execute anything from applications to associations such as Word or Acrobat PDF documents both locally and across a network without prompts or security warnings." The IntraLaunch ActiveX control, which is provided by IntraLaunch.ocx, is marked Safe for Scripting and by default is not restricted to any specific domain or Internet Explorer zone. This means that any web site has the ability to run arbitrary code on a system that has the control.

Note that a vendor may purchase a site-locked version of the IntraLaunch control, but by default the control is not restricted.

By convincing a user to view a specially crafted HTML document (e.g., a web page or an HTML email message or attachment), an attacker may be able to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user.

We are currently unaware of a practical solution to this problem. Please consider the following workarounds:

Disable the IntraLaunch ActiveX control in Internet Explorer

The vulnerable ActiveX control can be disabled in Internet Explorer by setting the kill bit for the following CLSIDs:

{0AE533FE-B805-4FD6-8AE1-A619FBEE7A23}
{58FEBB79-70F5-48A6-9697-E91591DA3F8E}
{858B4F85-E945-4F0C-AF65-059E0AD9EEC0}
More information about how to set the kill bit is available in Microsoft Support Document 240797. Alternatively, the following text can be saved as a .REG file and imported to set the kill bit for this control:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\ActiveX Compatibility\{0AE533FE-B805-4FD6-8AE1-A619FBEE7A23}]
"Compatibility Flags"=dword:00000400

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\ActiveX Compatibility\{58FEBB79-70F5-48A6-9697-E91591DA3F8E}]
"Compatibility Flags"=dword:00000400

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\ActiveX Compatibility\{858B4F85-E945-4F0C-AF65-059E0AD9EEC0}]
"Compatibility Flags"=dword:00000400
Disable ActiveX

Disabling ActiveX controls in the Internet Zone (or any zone used by an attacker) appears to prevent exploitation of this and other ActiveX vulnerabilities. Instructions for disabling ActiveX in the Internet Zone can be found in the "Securing Your Web Browser" document.