Unsafe ActiveX Control Marked Safe For Scripting
Weakness ID: 623 (Weakness Variant)Status: Draft
+ Description

Description Summary

An ActiveX control is intended for restricted use, but it has been marked as safe-for-scripting.

Extended Description

This might allow attackers to use dangerous functionality via a web page that accesses the control, which can lead to different resultant vulnerabilities, depending on the control's behavior.

+ Time of Introduction
  • Architecture and Design
  • Implementation
+ Observed Examples
ReferenceDescription
CVE-2007-0617add emails to spam whitelist
CVE-2007-0219web browser uses certain COM objects as ActiveX
CVE-2006-6510kiosk allows bypass to read files
+ Potential Mitigations

During development, do not mark it as safe for scripting.

After distribution, you can set the kill bit for the control so that it is not accessible from Internet Explorer.

+ Weakness Ordinalities
OrdinalityDescription
Primary
(where the weakness exists independent of other weaknesses)
+ Relationships
NatureTypeIDNameView(s) this relationship pertains toView(s)
ChildOfWeakness BaseWeakness Base267Privilege Defined With Unsafe Actions
Development Concepts (primary)699
Research Concepts (primary)1000
ChildOfWeakness ClassWeakness Class691Insufficient Control Flow Management
Research Concepts1000
PeerOfWeakness BaseWeakness Base618Exposed Unsafe ActiveX Method
Research Concepts1000
+ Research Gaps

It is suspected that this is under-reported.

+ References
<http://msdn.microsoft.com/workshop/components/activex/safety.asp>.
<http://msdn.microsoft.com/workshop/components/activex/security.asp>.
<http://support.microsoft.com/kb/240797>.
[REF-11] M. Howard and D. LeBlanc. "Writing Secure Code". Chapter 16, "What ActiveX Components Are Safe for Initialization and Safe for Scripting?" Page 510. 2nd Edition. Microsoft. 2002.
+ Content History
Modifications
Modification DateModifierOrganizationSource
2008-07-01Eric DalciCigitalExternal
updated Time of Introduction
2008-09-08CWE Content TeamMITREInternal
updated Description, Relationships, Observed Example, Weakness Ordinalities
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