Re: Windows Media Player 7 and IE java vulnerability - executing arbitrary programs

["TAKAGI, Hiromitsu" <takagi () ETL GO JP>]

On Mon, 15 Jan 2001 18:10:10 +0200
Georgi Guninski <guninski () GUNINSKI COM> wrote:
> There is a security vulnerability in Windows Media Player 7
> exploitable thru IE and java which allows reading local files and
> browsing directories which in turn allows executing arbitratrary
> programs. This may lead to taking full control over user's computer.

> <APPLET CODEBASE="file://c:/" ARCHIVE="Program files/Windows Media Player/SKINS/wmp2.wmz"
> CODE="gjavacodebase.class" WIDTH=700 HEIGHT=300>

I think it does not allow execution of arbitrary programs.

My understanding is that Java applet launched with file: codebase will
be executed under the sandbox security restrictions.  So this
vulnerability allows only reading of local files but not writing to
files nor executing external programs.

http://java.sun.com/sfaq/#diff
| What is the difference between applets loaded over the net and applets
| loaded via the file system?
|   :
| Java-enabled browsers use the applet class loader to load applets
| specified with file: URLs. So, the restrictions and protections that
| accrue from the class loader and its associated security manager are
| now in effect for applets loaded via file: URLs.


--
Hiromitsu Takagi
Electrotechnical Laboratory
http://www.etl.go.jp/~takagi/