CVE-2004-1198 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Internet Explorer allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash from memory consumption), as demonstrated using Javascript code that continuously creates nested arrays and then sorts the newly created arrays.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/07/2019
This vulnerability resides in Microsoft Internet Explorer versions prior to 6.0 Service Pack 1 and affects the browser's JavaScript engine implementation. The flaw manifests when malicious JavaScript code executes nested array creation operations followed by sorting operations, leading to excessive memory consumption and eventual application crash. The vulnerability stems from inadequate memory management within the browser's JavaScript interpreter, specifically when handling recursive array operations that create deeply nested data structures. Attackers can exploit this by crafting malicious web pages containing JavaScript code that repeatedly generates nested arrays and sorts them, causing the browser process to consume escalating amounts of memory until system resources are exhausted. This represents a classic denial of service condition where legitimate users cannot access the affected service due to resource exhaustion. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be triggered through simple web browsing activities without requiring any special privileges or user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website. The memory consumption pattern follows a predictable exponential growth curve as nested arrays are created and sorted, with each operation consuming increasingly larger memory segments. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-400, which describes unchecked resource consumption, and can be categorized under the ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service attacks. The exploitation mechanism leverages JavaScript's array manipulation capabilities to create a memory leak scenario, where temporary array objects are not properly garbage collected during the sorting operations. The impact extends beyond simple browser crashes to potentially destabilize the entire operating system when multiple browser processes are affected simultaneously. Microsoft addressed this vulnerability through service pack updates that improved memory management in the JavaScript engine, specifically enhancing garbage collection algorithms and implementing stricter memory usage limits for array operations. Organizations should ensure all Internet Explorer installations are updated to the latest service pack versions and consider implementing browser security policies that restrict JavaScript execution in untrusted environments. Network administrators should monitor for suspicious memory usage patterns and implement web content filtering solutions that can detect and block known malicious JavaScript patterns associated with this vulnerability. The vulnerability underscores the importance of proper resource management in interpreted languages and highlights the need for robust memory allocation controls in web browsers to prevent exploitation through resource exhaustion attacks.