CVE-2013-3161 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 and 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-2013-3143.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/24/2025
Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 9 and 10 contained a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enabled remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service conditions through maliciously crafted web content. This vulnerability specifically affected the browser's handling of memory management during web page rendering processes, creating a pathway for exploitation that differed from the related CVE-2013-3143 vulnerability. The flaw manifested when Internet Explorer processed certain web elements that triggered improper memory allocation or deallocation sequences, leading to memory corruption that could be leveraged by attackers to gain unauthorized system access. The vulnerability exploited a classic memory safety issue that aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write operations. Attackers could craft web pages containing malicious JavaScript or HTML elements that would cause the browser to allocate memory in unexpected ways, potentially leading to buffer overflows or heap corruption. The attack vector required users to visit a malicious website, making this a typical web-based exploit scenario that could be delivered through phishing campaigns or compromised legitimate websites. This vulnerability represented a significant threat to enterprise environments where Internet Explorer remained the primary browser, as it could be exploited to establish persistent access to targeted systems. The memory corruption aspect of this vulnerability made it particularly dangerous because it could be used to bypass modern security protections such as data execution prevention and address space layout randomization. From an operational impact perspective, successful exploitation could result in complete system compromise, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the logged-in user, potentially leading to data theft, system infiltration, or lateral movement within network environments. Organizations running these vulnerable browser versions faced heightened risk due to the widespread adoption of Internet Explorer 9 and 10 in corporate settings, making this vulnerability a prime target for cybercriminals seeking to exploit legacy browser configurations. The vulnerability's classification under the ATT&CK framework would fall within the T1059 technique category for command and script injection, as exploitation typically involved injecting malicious code through web-based delivery methods. Microsoft released patches to address this vulnerability, but many organizations failed to deploy updates promptly, leaving systems exposed to active exploitation attempts. The remediation process required complete browser updates or complete system replacement, emphasizing the importance of maintaining current security patches for all browser components. Security professionals noted that this vulnerability highlighted the ongoing challenges of maintaining secure browser environments, particularly when dealing with older browser versions that received limited security support. The exploitation patterns for this vulnerability demonstrated the sophistication of modern web-based attacks and underscored the need for comprehensive browser security measures beyond traditional antivirus solutions. Organizations needed to implement multiple layers of defense including web application firewalls, browser hardening configurations, and user education to protect against similar memory corruption vulnerabilities. The vulnerability also emphasized the importance of regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning to identify outdated browser installations that might be susceptible to similar exploitation techniques. This particular flaw served as a reminder of how complex browser architectures could contain subtle memory management issues that, when exploited, could provide attackers with complete system control. The incident reinforced the necessity of maintaining up-to-date browser security patches and implementing robust security monitoring to detect and respond to exploitation attempts.