CWE-618: Exposed Unsafe ActiveX Method
Learn about CWE-618 (Exposed Unsafe ActiveX Method), its security impact, exploitation methods, and prevention guidelines.
What is Exposed Unsafe ActiveX Method?
• Overview: Exposed Unsafe ActiveX Method (CWE-618) occurs when an ActiveX control, used in web browsers, exposes methods that can execute actions beyond the browser's security boundaries, potentially compromising system security.
• Exploitation Methods:
- Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by invoking exposed methods in ActiveX controls without proper input validation or origin checking.
- Common attack patterns include crafting malicious web pages that invoke unsafe ActiveX methods to perform unauthorized actions on a user's system.
• Security Impact:
- Direct consequences include unauthorized access to system resources and execution of arbitrary code.
- Potential cascading effects can involve the installation of malware, data breaches, or further compromise of the system.
- Business impact may include loss of sensitive data, damage to reputation, and financial loss due to security breaches.
• Prevention Guidelines:
- Specific code-level fixes involve ensuring that methods exposed by ActiveX controls are safe and perform robust input validation.
- Security best practices include restricting the use of ActiveX controls to trusted zones and employing least privilege principles.
- Recommended tools and frameworks include using Microsoft's ActiveX security settings, employing code signing for controls, and leveraging security auditing tools to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities.
Technical Details
Likelihood of Exploit: Not specified
Affected Languages: Not specified
Affected Technologies: Not specified