CVE-2004-0549
NVD-CWE-OtherPublished: August 6, 2004· Updated: Jun 16, 2026
Official Description
The WebBrowser ActiveX control, or the Internet Explorer HTML rendering engine (MSHTML), as used in Internet Explorer 6, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code in the Local Security context by using the showModalDialog method and modifying the location to execute code such as Javascript, as demonstrated using (1) delayed HTTP redirect operations, and an HTTP response with a Location: header containing a "URL:" prepended to a "ms-its" protocol URI, or (2) modifying the location attribute of the window, as exploited by the Download.ject (aka Scob aka Toofer) using the ADODB.Stream object.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2004-0549 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.
Exploitation requires some privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.
A proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit exists for CVE-2004-0549. While not yet confirmed in active campaigns, the availability of PoC code increases exploitation risk substantially.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
Official Patches & Advisories
All References (32)
Quick Facts
Related CVEs (NVD-CWE-Other)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2004-0549 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts