MS02-008: XMLHTTP Control in MSXML 3.0 Can Allow Access to Local Files

An information-disclosure vulnerability exists that can allow an attacker to read files on the local file system of a user who visits a specially malformed Web site.

The attacker would not be able to add, change, or delete files. Additionally, the attacker would not be able to use e-mail to carry out this attack; the vulnerability can only be exploited by way of a Web site. Customers who use caution when browsing and avoid visiting unknown or untrustworthy sites are at less risk from this vulnerability.

The vulnerability exists because the XMLHTTP control in the Microsoft XML Core Services does not respect the Internet Explorer Security Zone restrictions. This enables a Web page to specify a file on a user's local system as an XML data source as a means of reading the file.

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Internet Explorer 6. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:
Release Date: February 21, 2002

For additional information about how to download Microsoft Support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Microsoft scanned this file for viruses. Microsoft used the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help to prevent any unauthorized changes to the file. The English version of this fix should have the following file attributes or later:
Note To install the patch silently and without a restart, use the the following switches: /q:a /c:"dahotfix /q /n"

Microsoft has confirmed that this problem may cause a degree of security vulnerability in Microsoft XML 3.0. This problem was first corrected in Internet Explorer 6 Service Pack 1.

Affected versions of MSXML ship as part of several products. You must apply the patch to systems with any of the following Microsoft products:

• Microsoft Windows XP
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0
• Microsoft SQL Server 2000

MSXML can also be installed separately. MSXML is installed as a DLL in the System32 subfolder of the Windows operating system folder. On most systems, this is C:\Windows or C:\winnt. If you have any or all of the following files in the System32 folder, you need the patch:

• Msxml2.dll
• Msxml3.dll
• Msxml4.dll

If you have only Msxml.dll, you do not need the patch because this is an earlier, unaffected version.

For more information about this vulnerability, visi the following Microsoft Web site: