CVE-2013-3139 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 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-2013-3112, CVE-2013-3113, CVE-2013-3121, and CVE-2013-3142.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/14/2021
This vulnerability represents a critical memory corruption flaw in Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 6 through 10 that enables remote code execution through malicious web content. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of memory structures during web page rendering, specifically when processing certain HTML elements and JavaScript code. Attackers can craft specially designed web pages that trigger memory corruption conditions when viewed in affected IE versions, leading to arbitrary code execution or system crashes. The flaw operates at the core rendering engine level, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through standard web browsing activities without requiring any special privileges or user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves heap corruption mechanisms that occur when Internet Explorer processes malformed or specially crafted web content. When the browser encounters specific patterns in HTML or JavaScript code, it fails to properly validate memory allocations and deallocations, resulting in memory corruption that can be leveraged to execute arbitrary code. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-125, which covers out-of-bounds read errors that can lead to memory corruption. The exploitation typically follows the ATT&CK technique T1203, where adversaries use web-based attacks to gain initial access through memory corruption vulnerabilities in browser applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple remote code execution to include potential system compromise and denial of service conditions. Successful exploitation can result in complete system control for attackers, allowing them to install malware, steal sensitive data, or establish persistent access to affected systems. Organizations running affected IE versions face significant risk as this vulnerability can be exploited through drive-by downloads or compromised websites that automatically trigger the memory corruption when users browse to malicious pages. The widespread adoption of these older IE versions in enterprise environments makes this vulnerability particularly concerning for organizations that have not completed browser migration efforts. The vulnerability's classification as a remote code execution flaw places it in the high-severity category according to standard risk assessment frameworks, as it requires no local access or user interaction beyond normal web browsing.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability focus primarily on immediate browser updates and security patches from Microsoft, which address the underlying memory corruption issues in the affected IE versions. Organizations should implement browser isolation techniques and consider deploying web application firewalls to filter malicious content before it reaches user browsers. Security awareness training for employees can help reduce the risk of visiting compromised websites, while network monitoring solutions should be configured to detect suspicious web traffic patterns associated with exploit delivery. The implementation of additional security controls such as sandboxing mechanisms and strict browser security policies can provide defense-in-depth protection against exploitation attempts. Regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify systems running unsupported IE versions that may be vulnerable to this and similar memory corruption vulnerabilities.