IIS Security Concern Using Batch Files for CGI

Last reviewed: April 29, 1997
Article ID: Q155056

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Internet Information Server version 1.0

SYMPTOMS

Web clients that send Common Gateway Interface (CGI) requests to Internet Information Server (IIS) servers using batch files (.bat or .cmd) as CGI applications may gain undesired levels of access to the IIS server.

CAUSE

Internet Information Server 1.0 (IIS) allowed the use of batch files as CGI applications. Using batch files as CGI applications exposed several security issues in IIS because the batch file processes run in the context of the full Windows NT console command processor (cmd.exe).

RESOLUTION

Obtain the fix referenced below.

STATUS

Batch file processing support was removed from the IIS product due to security concerns.

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 : iissecurity kbbug1.00 kbfix3.51 kbnetwork NTSrv
Version : 1.0
Platform : WINDOWS

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Last reviewed: April 29, 1997
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