There is a security bug in Netscape Communicator 4.51 Win95,
4.07 Linux (guess all 4.x versions are affected) in the way they
handle special bookmarks with JavaScript code in the title.
If you enclose a JavaScript code with <SCRIPT> tags in the
<TITLE> tag and bookmark that page, the JavaScript code is
written in the local bookmarks file. Then when the bookmarks file
is open, the JavaScript code is executed in the security context of
a local file – the bookmarks file. The bookmarks file may be open
by a script, probably a server redirect or by the user. The
bookmarks file name must be known, but it is easily guessed for
most dialup users.
Vulnerabilities: reading user’s bookmarks, browsing local
directories, reading local files (works fine on Linux, probably
possible on Windows).
Workaround: Disable JavaScript or do not bookmark untrusted
pages.
Demonstration is available at: http://www.nat.bg/~joro/book2.html
See attached file for the source.
Georgi Guninski
http://www.nat.bg/~joro
http://www.whitehats.com/guninsk
Web Webster has more than 20 years of writing and editorial experience in the tech sector. He’s written and edited news, demand generation, user-focused, and thought leadership content for business software solutions, consumer tech, and Linux Today, he edits and writes for a portfolio of tech industry news and analysis websites including webopedia.com, and DatabaseJournal.com.
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