DOCUMENT:Q155052 15-MAR-2000 [iis] TITLE :IIS Server Handling of URLs Using "\", "<", and ">" PRODUCT :Internet Information Server PROD/VER:winnt:1.0 OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS:kbnetwork ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Internet Information Server 1.0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SYMPTOMS ======== Web clients that send Universal Resource Locator (URL) map requests using the backward slash (\) as a relational specifier can point to any file on the disk. Web clients that send Common Gateway Interface (CGI) requests using either of the angle brackets (< or >) as a redirection specifier can overwrite a file on the disk. CAUSE ===== Internet Information Server 1.0 (IIS) did not handle the backward slash (\) in the same way as the forward slash (/); consequently, URL map requests using '\' could be used to specify any file in the hierarchical file system structure on the server. IIS CGI processing did not disable the use of either of the angle brackets (< or >) as redirection operators; consequently, CGI requests can overwrite existing files by redirecting console output to a filename on the server. STATUS ====== Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in IIS version 1.0. This problem was corrected in the latest Windows NT 3.51 U.S. Service Pack. For information on obtaining the Service Pack, query on the following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the spaces): S E R V P A C K Additional query words: prodiis ====================================================================== Keywords : kbnetwork Technology : kbiisSearch kbiis100 Version : winnt:1.0 ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2000.