The MHTML protocol handler in Microsoft Windows XP SP2 and SP3, Windows Server 2003 SP2, Windows Vista SP1 and SP2, Windows Server 2008 Gold
The MHTML protocol handler in Microsoft Windows XP SP2 and SP3, Windows Server 2003 SP2, Windows Vista SP1 and SP2, Windows Server 2008 Gold, SP2, R2, and R2 SP1, and Windows 7 Gold and SP1 does not properly handle a MIME format in a request for content blocks in a document, which allows remote attackers to conduct cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks via a crafted web site that is visited in Internet Explorer, aka "MHTML Mime-Formatted Request Vulnerability."
- Published
- Jan 31, 2011
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 46.8% · 99th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-79
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Report tools
Action score
38
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 24 / 40 · 6.1 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 14 / 30 · 46.8%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- proof of concept
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- partial
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
Affected systems
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| microsoft | windows 2003 server | cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_2003_server |
| microsoft | windows 7 | cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_7 |
| microsoft | windows server 2003 | cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2003 |
| microsoft | windows server 2008 | cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2008 |
| microsoft | windows vista | cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_vista |
| microsoft | windows xp | cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_xp |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- microsoft windows server 2003all versions
- microsoft windows server 2008all versions
- microsoft windows server 2008r2
Same product
microsoft: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
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Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
No fix version is recorded for this entry. Check the references for vendor advisories.
Exploit status
Proof of concept available
A public proof of concept or detection signature exists. Exploit knowledge is out there; don't delay patching.
Evidence
- Exploit-DB entry ×1
Noroxi does not host or link to exploit code. Metasploit module names and Nuclei template ids are shown (names, not code); Exploit-DB entries and PoC repositories are given as counts only.
| Source | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Exploit-DB entry | local | 2011-01-29 |
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
- First PoC-3 d
- Published
- TodaySep 30, 2026+5721 d
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
No commit or PR link among the references.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
- No account or password is required.
- A user must open a link or visit a page.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- low · data can be read
- Integrity
- low · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- none
Impact can extend beyond the vulnerable component (scope changes).
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Changed
- Confidentiality impact
- Low
- Integrity impact
- Low
- Availability impact
- None
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-79 · Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
nvd-secondary
Root cause
User content is inserted into the page as HTML. The browser interprets the content as code rather than data.
The bug in code
The whole CWE-79 classA representative example of this vulnerability class. Not the vendor's source code; it shows the faulty pattern and its fix.
Vulnerable
commentEl.innerHTML = comment.body;Fixed
commentEl.textContent = comment.body;Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
ATT&CK techniques
—
Noroxi analysis
No Noroxi analysis for this record yet
We don't hand-write analysis for all 385,000+ vulnerabilities; that wouldn't be honest. For notable, high-impact vulnerabilities our team writes the mechanism, detection and remediation steps.
We use this product, ask for helpChange log
No changes recorded on tracked fields yet. Score, KEV, exploit maturity and fix status changes appear here.
References
- blogs.technet.com/b/msrc/archive/2011/01/28/microsoft-releases-security-advisory-2501696.aspx
- blogs.technet.com/b/srd/archive/2011/01/28/more-information-about-the-mhtml-script-injection-vulnerability.aspx
- osvdb.org/70693
- secunia.com/advisories/43093
- www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/326549
- www.microsoft.com/technet/security/advisory/2501696.mspx
- www.securityfocus.com/bid/46055
- www.securitytracker.com/id?1025003
- www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA11-102A.html
- www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2011/0242
- docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2011/ms11-026
- exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/65000
- oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A6956
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.