CVE-2004-1043

Internet Explorer vulnerability

CVSS

5.0

EPSS

45.0%

EPSS pct

99th

Exploited

No known

Internet Explorer 6.0 on Windows XP SP2 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by using the "Related Topics" command in the Help ActiveX Control (hhctrl.ocx) to open a Help popup window containing the PCHealth tools.htm file in the local zone and injecting Javascript to be executed, as demonstrated using "writehta.txt" and the ADODB recordset, which saves a .HTA file to the local system, aka the "HTML Help ActiveX control Cross Domain Vulnerability."

Affected vendor

Microsoft

Affected product

Internet Explorer

CVSS vector

AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N

Published

2004-12-31

Risk analysis

Based on its CVSS vector, this vulnerability is exploitable over the network, low attack complexity, requiring no authentication. Successful exploitation leads to partial impact to integrity.

Its EPSS score of 45.0% reflects a moderate probability of exploitation activity in the wild over the next 30 days, placing it among the most exploited CVEs currently tracked.

Check your external exposure to CVE-2004-1043

Confirm whether Microsoft Internet Explorer is running on any internet-facing host or subdomain.
Match discovered service fingerprints against the version affected by CVE-2004-1043.
Prioritise remediation if the asset is public, business-critical, or near authentication/payment flows.

How ThreatPort helps with CVE-2004-1043

ThreatPort's external attack surface scanner checks your internet-facing assets — agentlessly, from the outside in — for the exposed services and versions that CVE-2004-1043 affects, then prioritises the finding by real risk using CISA KEV and FIRST.org EPSS.

Run a free external exposure scan

Are you exposed to CVE-2004-1043?

Run an instant, non-intrusive external scan to check your attack surface for CVE-2004-1043.

Start free scan

No credit card. Agentless.

Related vulnerabilities

Certified Asterisk vulnerability

MEDIUM

CVE-2014-3583

Mac Os X vulnerability