# CVE-2012-1858: Cross-site scripting in n/a

> Remote attackers can bypass HTML sanitization in Internet Explorer to execute cross-site scripting attacks via crafted documents.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.3 (`AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N`)
- **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:** 12 Jun 2012
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-w5mr-v466-jmjm

## What is CVE-2012-1858?

CVE-2012-1858 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer, published on 12 Jun 2012. 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

The toStaticHTML API (aka the SafeHTML component) in Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 and 9, Communicator 2007 R2, and Lync 2010 and 2010 Attendee does not properly handle event attributes and script, which makes it easier for remote attackers to conduct cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks via a crafted HTML document, aka "HTML Sanitization Vulnerability."

Weakness: CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2012-1858?

It affects 3 products.


Products: Microsoft Internet Explorer, Microsoft Lync, Microsoft Office Communicator.

## How do I fix CVE-2012-1858?

No fix has been published for CVE-2012-1858 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2012-1858 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2012-1858 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 / SharePoint / Lync - toStaticHTML HTML Sanitizing Bypass (MS12-037/MS12-039/MS12-050) (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Internet Explorer

- [CVE-2014-1776](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-1776/): Microsoft Internet Explorer Memory Corruption (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-27085](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-27085/): Microsoft Internet Explorer Remote Code Execution (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2017-0222](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-0222/): Microsoft Internet Explorer Remote Code Execution (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2017-0210](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-0210/): Microsoft Internet Explorer Privilege Escalation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2017-0149](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-0149/): Microsoft Internet Explorer Memory Corruption (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2012-1858 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2012-1858 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer, published on 12 Jun 2012. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2012-1858 exists.

Affected product: Microsoft Internet Explorer. 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-2012-1858/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-1858/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2012-1858
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-1858
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2012-1858

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-1858/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.