# CVE-2009-4445: File upload in n/a

> Remote attackers can upload malicious files with arbitrary extensions via NTFS Alternate Data Streams syntax, potentially leading to code execution.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.0 (`AV:N/AC:M/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 29 Dec 2009
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-vgvh-f7c3-rv4v

## What is CVE-2009-4445?

CVE-2009-4445 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Information Services, published on 29 Dec 2009. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS), when used in conjunction with unspecified third-party upload applications, allows remote attackers to create empty files with arbitrary extensions via a filename containing an initial extension followed by a : (colon) and a safe extension, as demonstrated by an upload of a .asp:.jpg file that results in creation of an empty .asp file, related to support for the NTFS Alternate Data Streams (ADS) filename syntax.  NOTE: it could be argued that this is a vulnerability in the third-party product, not IIS, because the third-party product should be applying its extension restrictions to the portion of the filename before the colon.

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2009-4445?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Microsoft Internet Information Services.

## How do I fix CVE-2009-4445?

No fix has been published for CVE-2009-4445 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2009-4445 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2009-4445 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Internet Information Services

- [CVE-2017-7269](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-7269/): Microsoft Windows Server Buffer Overflow (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2010-3972](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-3972/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2008-4301](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-4301/): Other in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2007-2815](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2007-2815/): The "hit-highlighting" functionality in webhits.dll in Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) Web Server 5.0 only uses Windows NT ACL (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2003-0224](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2003-0224/): Buffer overflow in ssinc.dll for Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) 5.0 allows local users to execute arbitrary code via a web pa (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2009-4445 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2009-4445 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Information Services, published on 29 Dec 2009. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2009-4445 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Microsoft Internet Information Services. 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-2009-4445/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-4445/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2009-4445
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2009-4445
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2009-4445

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-4445/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.