The money: protocol in Internet Explorer

[smiths () TIAC NET (Richard M. Smith)]

Hello,

Here is an interesting problem that I haven't had
the time to looking into fully.  Maybe someone
else can give it a shot.

If a computer has both Internet Explorer and Microsoft
Money installed on it, Money adds a protocol named "money:" to IE.  If
one goes to the IE address box and types in "money:",
Microsoft Money will start up.  The protocol also works
in a JavaScript window.open call.  This means that Microsoft Money
can be started remotely from a Web site or from an HTML-based
Email message.

Some interesting questions here:

   - Does the money: protocol have any buffer overflow
     errors such that x86 code can be injected into
     Money and then executed?

   - What is the URL format for the money: protocol?
     For example, can one do something like the
     following:

money://transfer?from_acct=myaccount&to_bank=swiss_bank&to_acct_no=12345&amo
unt=10000.00

   - If remote attacks are possible, how can the money:
     protocol be turned off in Web pages and Email
     messages, but still have Microsoft Money work
     properly?

Microsoft was demoing Money 2000 at Comdex, and
I showed the money: protocol in IE to the Microsoft
guy running the demo station.  His eyes got big as
saucers.......:-)

Richard

==========================================
Richard M. Smith
Internet consultant
Email: smiths () tiac net
http://www.tiac.net/users/smiths
==========================================