# CVE-2004-0985: Code injection in n/a

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code via crafted documents exploiting HTML Help and ADODB in Internet Explorer.

- **Severity:** Critical 10.0 (`AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 26 Oct 2004
- **Updated:** 8 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-w73v-gw8h-8683

## What is CVE-2004-0985?

CVE-2004-0985 is a critical code injection vulnerability in Microsoft Ie, published on 26 Oct 2004. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Internet Explorer 6.x on Windows XP SP2 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code, as demonstrated using a document with a draggable file type such as .xml, .doc, .py, .cdf, .css, .pdf, or .ppt, and using ADODB.Connection and ADODB.recordset to write to a .hta file that is interpreted in the Local Zone by HTML Help.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2004-0985?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Microsoft Ie.

## How do I fix CVE-2004-0985?

No fix has been published for CVE-2004-0985 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2004-0985 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2004-0985 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Ie

- [CVE-2007-0217](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2007-0217/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2007-0219](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2007-0219/): Code injection in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2006-1186](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-1186/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2004-0216](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-0216/): Integer overflow in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2004-0420](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-0420/): Code injection in n/a (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2004-0985 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2004-0985 is a critical code injection vulnerability in Microsoft Ie, published on 26 Oct 2004. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2004-0985 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Microsoft Ie. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-0985/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-0985/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2004-0985
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2004-0985
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2004-0985

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-0985/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.