Description
Help Center (HelpCtr.exe) may allow remote attackers to read or execute arbitrary files via an "http://" or "file://" argument to the topic parameter in an hcp:// URL. NOTE: since the initial report of this problem, several researchers have been unable to reproduce this issue.
Public exploits
Exploit or proof-of-concept code for this vulnerability is publicly available, which lowers the bar for attackers. Treat it as a reason to patch sooner.
Third-party code, not reviewed by us. Public PoCs are sometimes fake or contain malware. Read the code first and run it only in an isolated lab, against systems you are authorised to test.
Exploit-DB 1
- Microsoft Windows XP - HCP URI Handler Arbitrary Command Execution EDB-23675 · remote · Feb 9, 2004 · verified
Sources: PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit Framework, Exploit-DB — updated daily. Only links are listed; no exploit code is hosted here.
References
- 9621 vdb-entry
- winxp-helpctr-hcp-xss(15101) vdb-entry
- 20040213 Re: HelpCtr - allow open any page or run mailing-list
- 20040207 HelpCtr - allow open any page or run mailing-list
- 20040210 Re: HelpCtr - allow open any page or run mailing-list
- 20040211 Re: HelpCtr - allow open any page or run mailing-list
- 20040210 Re: HelpCtr - allow open any page or run mailing-list