CVE-1999-0891

Internet Explorer 5 - Arbitrary File Read via Server-Side Redirect

Title source: llm
STIX 2.1

Exploitation Summary

EIP tracks 1 public exploit for CVE-1999-0891. PoCs published by Georgi Guninski.

AI-analyzed exploit summary This exploit leverages the DHTML Behaviors feature in Internet Explorer 5.0 to bypass security restrictions and read local files or files in other security zones via HTTP redirect manipulation. The PoC demonstrates how a malicious website can force an IE5 client to retrieve and display the contents of a local file (e.g., C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT) by exploiting the '#default#download' behavior.

Description

The "download behavior" in Internet Explorer 5 allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files via a server-side redirect.

Exploits (1)

exploitdb WORKING POC VERIFIED
by Georgi Guninski · textremotewindows
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/19530

This exploit leverages the DHTML Behaviors feature in Internet Explorer 5.0 to bypass security restrictions and read local files or files in other security zones via HTTP redirect manipulation. The PoC demonstrates how a malicious website can force an IE5 client to retrieve and display the contents of a local file (e.g., C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT) by exploiting the '#default#download' behavior.

Classification
Working Poc 90%
Attack Type
Info Leak
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for Windows 95/Windows 98/Windows NT 4
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Victim must be using Internet Explorer 5.0 · Victim must visit a malicious website hosting the exploit
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →

References (6)

Core 6
Core References
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_bid
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/674
Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource third-party-advisory government-resource x_refsource_ciac
http://www.ciac.org/ciac/bulletins/k-002.shtml
Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_mskb
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb%3B%5BLN%5D%3BQ242542
US Government Resource third-party-advisory x_refsource_cert-vn
http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/37828
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_osvdb
http://www.osvdb.org/11274

Scores

EPSS 0.4258
EPSS Percentile 98.5%

Details

CWE
CWE-94
Status published
Products (1)
microsoft/internet_explorer 5.0
Published Sep 01, 1999
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026