CVE-2013-3111 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 through 10 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via a crafted web site, aka "Internet Explorer Memory Corruption Vulnerability," a different vulnerability than CVE-2013-3123.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/01/2025
Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 8 through 10 contained a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enabled remote code execution through malicious web content. This vulnerability arose from improper handling of memory allocation and deallocation during the processing of specific web elements, creating exploitable conditions that could be leveraged by attackers to inject and execute arbitrary code on affected systems. The flaw specifically manifested when Internet Explorer encountered crafted web pages containing malformed data structures that triggered buffer overflows or use-after-free conditions within the browser's memory management subsystem.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write operations. Attackers could construct malicious websites containing specially crafted HTML elements, JavaScript code, or ActiveX controls that would cause Internet Explorer to allocate memory incorrectly, leading to memory corruption that could be exploited to gain full system control. The vulnerability was particularly dangerous because it could be triggered through normal web browsing activities without requiring any special user interaction beyond visiting a compromised website.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability represented a significant threat to enterprise environments where Internet Explorer remained the primary browser for legacy applications. The memory corruption could result in system crashes, browser instability, or complete system compromise depending on the execution context. Security researchers noted that exploitation was possible through various attack vectors including cross-site scripting payloads, malicious advertisements, or compromised websites that delivered the malicious content. The vulnerability's impact extended beyond individual users to entire organizations, as it could be leveraged for persistent threats and advanced persistent attacks.
Organizations should have implemented immediate mitigations including applying Microsoft security patches, deploying browser isolation techniques, and implementing network-based protections such as web application firewalls. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1203, which covers Exploitation for Client Execution, and T1059, which covers Command and Scripting Interpreter. Additional protective measures included disabling ActiveX controls, implementing strict content security policies, and utilizing sandboxing technologies to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlighted the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies to protect against zero-day exploits targeting widely used software components.