CVE-2005-4360
HighPublic exploitThe URL parser in Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) 5.1 on Windows XP Professional SP2 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via multiple requests to ".dll" followed by arguments such as "~0" through "~9", which causes ntdll.dll to produce a return value…
Published Dec 19, 2005 · Updated Apr 15, 2026
Key Facts
Patch immediately- CVE-2005-4360 is a high-severity vulnerability (CVSS 7.8 v2) affecting Internet Information Services (Microsoft).
- It is not listed in any known-exploited vulnerabilities catalog. Public exploit code is available.
- EPSS estimates a 87% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
- No fixed version is listed yet; check the vendor advisory for mitigations.
- Brandefense priority: patch immediately, because it is very likely to be exploited soon.
CVSS v2
7.8
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:C/A:N
EPSS (30-day exploit likelihood)
87%
Higher than 99.7% of all scored CVEs
Exploited in the wild
No known
Not in a known-exploited catalog
Public exploit code
Available
Proof-of-concept or weaponized module
Get the full CVE-2005-4360 brief as a PDF
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Description
The URL parser in Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) 5.1 on Windows XP Professional SP2 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via multiple requests to ".dll" followed by arguments such as "~0" through "~9", which causes ntdll.dll to produce a return value that is not correctly handled by IIS, as demonstrated using "/_vti_bin/.dll/*/~0". NOTE: the consequence was originally believed to be only a denial of service (application crash and reboot).
Affected Products
1 affected entries in total| Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| Internet Information ServicesMicrosoft | 5.1 | n/a |
Timeline
Publicly disclosed
Dec 19, 2005
Last updated
Apr 15, 2026
Weakness Type
- CWE-252 Unchecked Return Value
References
- advisorySSRT071446
- advisory271
- advisory1015376
- advisoryoval:org.mitre.oval:def:1703
- advisory20051216 Microsoft IIS Remote Denial of Service (DoS) .DLL Url exploit
FAQ
Common Questions.
The URL parser in Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) 5.1 on Windows XP Professional SP2 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via multiple requests to ".dll" followed by arguments such as "~0" through "~9", which causes ntdll.dll to produce a return value that is not correctly handled by IIS, as…
Affected: Internet Information Services (Microsoft) versions 5.1. The full list is in the CVE brief.
It is not listed in any known-exploited vulnerabilities catalog.
No, it is not currently listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
Public exploit code is available.
No fixed version is listed yet; check the vendor advisory for mitigations.
Brandefense priority: patch immediately, because it is very likely to be exploited soon.
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