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Microsoft Windows 2000 Indexing Service permits read access to files outside web root via crafted request

Vulnerability Note VU#910624

Original Release Date: 2002-09-27 | Last Revised: 2002-09-27

Overview

A vulnerability exists in the way that Index Server 2.0 and the Indexing Service for Windows 2000 handles search requests. This vulnerability may alllow attackers to view the contents of "include" files located on the web server.

Description

By submitting a specific search request to a system running Index Server 2.0 or Indexing Service for Windows 2000, a remote attacker may be able to read the contents of "include" files located on the server. While "include" files should not contain sensitive information, if they did, this vulnerability might expose that data to attackers.

This vulnerability is a variant of the problem described in Microsoft Security Bulletin MS00-006.

Impact

A remote attacker can view the contents of "include" files located on a vulnerable web server.

Solution

Apply a Patch

Microsoft has published patches correcting this vulnerability. The patches are listed in their advisory at:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS01-025.asp

Vendor Information

910624
 

Microsoft Corporation Affected

Updated:  July 16, 2002

Status

Affected

Vendor Statement

We have not received a statement from the vendor.

Vendor Information

The vendor has not provided us with any further information regarding this vulnerability.

Addendum

Microsoft has published a security bulletin describing this problem at:


CVSS Metrics

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References

Acknowledgements

Thanks to David Litchfield of @Stake for discovering this vulnerability.

This document was written by Cory F. Cohen.

Other Information

CVE IDs: CVE-2001-0245
Severity Metric: 3.83
Date Public: 2001-05-10
Date First Published: 2002-09-27
Date Last Updated: 2002-09-27 17:41 UTC
Document Revision: 11

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