CVE-2013-3186 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
The Protected Mode feature in Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 through 10 on Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8, Windows Server 2012, and Windows RT does not properly implement the Integrity Access Level (aka IL) protection mechanism, which allows remote attackers to obtain medium-integrity privileges by leveraging access to a low-integrity process, aka "Process Integrity Level Assignment Vulnerability."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/21/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2013-3186 represents a critical flaw in Microsoft Internet Explorer's Protected Mode implementation across multiple Windows operating systems. This issue specifically targets the Integrity Access Level (IL) protection mechanism that is designed to enforce security boundaries between different privilege levels within the Windows operating system. The vulnerability exists in Internet Explorer versions 7 through 10, affecting Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8, Windows Server 2012, and Windows RT platforms. The flaw stems from an improper implementation of the IL protection mechanism that should normally prevent processes running at lower integrity levels from accessing or manipulating resources that require higher integrity levels.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a process where remote attackers can leverage access to a low-integrity process to gain medium-integrity privileges. This represents a fundamental breakdown in the Windows security model's layered protection approach, where processes should be isolated based on their integrity levels to prevent privilege escalation attacks. The vulnerability essentially allows attackers to bypass the intended security boundaries that separate low-integrity user processes from higher-privilege system resources. This flaw enables attackers to execute malicious code with elevated privileges without requiring administrative access or other complex attack vectors that would typically be necessary for privilege escalation in properly secured environments.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for organizations deploying affected versions of Internet Explorer. Attackers can exploit this weakness to execute arbitrary code with medium integrity privileges, which often provides sufficient access to compromise the entire system or escalate privileges further through additional attack vectors. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited remotely through web-based attacks, making it accessible to threat actors without requiring physical access to target systems. This makes it an attractive target for automated exploit campaigns and increases the potential attack surface for organizations running affected software versions.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-276, which describes improper privilege management in software systems, and represents a classic case of insufficient access control implementation. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and persistence mechanisms, specifically targeting the execution of malicious code with elevated privileges. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying Microsoft security updates, disabling Protected Mode in Internet Explorer where possible, and implementing network-level controls to restrict access to potentially malicious web content. Additionally, organizations should consider deploying application whitelisting solutions and monitoring for suspicious process creation patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and proper system hardening practices to prevent exploitation of fundamental security mechanisms within operating systems.