CVE-2013-3166 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 through 10 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via vectors involving incorrect auto-selection of the Shift JIS encoding, leading to cross-domain scrolling events, aka "Shift JIS Character Encoding Vulnerability," a different vulnerability than CVE-2013-0015.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/23/2025
The CVE-2013-3166 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 6 through 10 that exploits character encoding mismanagement during web content rendering. This vulnerability specifically targets the Shift JIS encoding handling mechanism, which is commonly used for Japanese text representation in web applications. The flaw occurs when Internet Explorer incorrectly auto-selects Shift JIS encoding for certain web pages, creating a condition where malicious actors can inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content through carefully crafted input vectors.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability leverages the browser's encoding detection algorithm to manipulate how it interprets incoming data streams. When the browser encounters content that should be interpreted using UTF-8 or other encoding standards but incorrectly defaults to Shift JIS, attackers can craft malicious payloads that appear legitimate to the encoding parser. This misinterpretation creates a scenario where cross-domain scrolling events become possible, allowing attackers to execute scripts in the context of different domains than intended. The vulnerability operates at the core of how Internet Explorer processes character encodings, specifically targeting the browser's automatic encoding detection and selection mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple XSS attacks, as it enables sophisticated exploitation techniques that can bypass traditional security controls. Attackers can leverage this flaw to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive information, redirect users to malicious sites, or execute arbitrary commands within the victim's browser context. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-79 (Cross-site Scripting) and its relationship to the broader ATT&CK framework's T1059.008 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell) and T1566 (Phishing) techniques demonstrates its potential for chaining with other attack vectors. The fact that this vulnerability affects multiple versions of Internet Explorer from 6 through 10 creates a widespread impact across legacy systems that organizations may still be using in production environments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-3166 require a multi-layered approach combining browser updates, server-side encoding controls, and network-level protections. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected Internet Explorer versions, though this may not be feasible for legacy systems that cannot be updated. Server-side remediation involves implementing proper HTTP headers to explicitly define character encoding, such as Content-Type headers with UTF-8 encoding specification, and ensuring consistent encoding throughout web application development. Network-level protections include implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious encoding patterns, while also deploying content security policies that restrict script execution from untrusted sources. The vulnerability's characteristics align with ATT&CK technique T1189 (Drive-by Compromise) and highlight the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches across all browser versions, particularly in enterprise environments where legacy browser support may be required for specific applications.