CVE-2009-3019 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 on Windows XP SP2 and SP3, and Internet Explorer 7 on Vista, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via JavaScript code that calls createElement to create an instance of the LI element, and then calls setAttribute to set the value attribute.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/08/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2009-3019 represents a classic denial of service flaw affecting Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 6 and 7 running on specific Windows operating systems. This issue stems from improper handling of HTML element creation and attribute manipulation within the browser's JavaScript engine, specifically when dealing with list item elements. The flaw manifests when malicious JavaScript code attempts to programmatically create LI elements and subsequently modify their attributes, leading to application instability and potential crashes.
The technical mechanism behind this vulnerability involves the interaction between the createElement JavaScript method and the setAttribute method within Internet Explorer's rendering engine. When the browser processes the sequence of creating an LI element followed by setting its value attribute, it encounters a condition that triggers an internal memory management error or buffer overflow within the browser's JavaScript interpreter. This behavior is classified as a buffer overflow or memory corruption vulnerability, which aligns with CWE-121 and CWE-122 categories that address issues related to insufficient buffer bounds checking and improper handling of memory operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application instability, as it can be exploited by remote attackers to disrupt legitimate user sessions and potentially compromise the overall security posture of affected systems. Attackers can craft malicious web pages that automatically execute the problematic JavaScript code when loaded in vulnerable browsers, causing unexpected application termination and forcing users to restart their browsers. This type of attack maps to ATT&CK technique T1499.004 which covers network denial of service attacks, and represents a significant concern for organizations running legacy browser versions that may not receive security updates.
The vulnerability affects specific versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer on Windows XP SP2 and SP3, as well as Internet Explorer 7 on Vista, indicating that the flaw was present in the browser's JavaScript engine implementation during a specific development cycle. This particular version of Internet Explorer was widely deployed in enterprise environments and consumer markets, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous as it could be exploited across a broad user base. Organizations with legacy systems running these affected browser versions faced significant risk of service disruption and potential exploitation for more sophisticated attacks that could leverage the initial denial of service as a precursor to further compromise. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and memory management in web browser implementations, and serves as a reminder of the critical need for timely security updates and browser modernization efforts to prevent exploitation of known flaws.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediate deployment of Microsoft security patches, browser version updates, and implementation of network-level protections such as web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious JavaScript patterns. Organizations should also consider implementing browser hardening measures and user education programs to reduce the risk of exploitation through social engineering attacks that might deliver malicious content to vulnerable systems.