CVE-2013-3205 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 through 8 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."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/29/2025
This vulnerability represents a critical memory corruption flaw affecting Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 6 through 8, classified under the Common Weakness Enumeration framework as CWE-125: "Out-of-bounds Read" and CWE-787: "Out-of-bounds Write." The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and memory management within the browser's rendering engine, specifically in how it processes certain web content structures. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious web pages that trigger buffer overflows or memory corruption conditions when the affected browser attempts to parse and render the content.
The technical exploitation occurs through carefully constructed web elements that cause the browser to allocate insufficient memory for processing certain data structures or manipulate memory pointers in unexpected ways. When Internet Explorer encounters these malformed elements, the memory corruption can result in arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the logged-in user, or alternatively cause a denial of service through application crashes. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be triggered through normal web browsing activities without requiring any special user interaction beyond visiting a compromised website.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for organizations relying on older Internet Explorer versions, as it provides attackers with a reliable method for gaining remote code execution capabilities. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a technique involving "Exploitation for Client Execution" (T1203) and "Memory Injection" (T1055) tactics. The impact extends beyond individual user compromise to potentially enable broader network infiltration, as successful exploitation can provide attackers with persistent access to target systems. Organizations with legacy systems running these vulnerable browser versions face substantial exposure, particularly in environments where browser updates are delayed or restricted.
Effective mitigation strategies include immediate deployment of Microsoft security patches, implementation of browser hardening measures such as enhanced memory protection features, and network-level controls like web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious content patterns. Organizations should also consider implementing browser isolation techniques and maintaining up-to-date vulnerability management processes to prevent similar issues from affecting other system components. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining current software versions and demonstrates how legacy browser support can create persistent security risks that require active management and mitigation approaches.