CVE-2013-3896 in Silverlight
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Silverlight 5 before 5.1.20913.0 does not properly validate pointers during access to Silverlight elements, which allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information via a crafted Silverlight application, aka "Silverlight Vulnerability."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/22/2026
Microsoft Silverlight 5 before 5.1.20913.0 contains a critical pointer validation flaw that enables remote code execution through improper memory access handling. This vulnerability resides in the Silverlight runtime's element access mechanisms where pointer validation is insufficient during object manipulation. The flaw allows attackers to craft malicious Silverlight applications that can bypass normal memory protection boundaries and access sensitive information stored in memory regions that should remain protected. According to CWE-125, this represents an out-of-bounds read condition where the application fails to properly validate pointer references during element access operations. The vulnerability manifests when Silverlight applications attempt to access elements with invalid or improperly validated pointers, creating opportunities for information disclosure attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks within the Silverlight runtime environment. Attackers can leverage this flaw to extract sensitive data from memory, potentially including authentication tokens, session information, or other confidential application data. The vulnerability affects the core Silverlight runtime components responsible for managing element lifecycles and memory allocation, making it particularly dangerous in environments where Silverlight applications handle sensitive user data or perform privileged operations. This weakness aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for execution through Silverlight applications and T1005 for data from local system.
Security researchers identified that the vulnerability stems from inadequate validation of object pointers within Silverlight's element management system, specifically during the processing of Silverlight elements that reference memory locations. The flaw occurs when the runtime fails to validate pointer integrity during element access operations, allowing malicious applications to manipulate memory references and potentially execute arbitrary code or extract protected information. Organizations running affected Silverlight versions face significant risk as this vulnerability can be exploited through web-based Silverlight content without requiring user interaction. The exploitation requires a crafted Silverlight application that specifically targets the pointer validation weakness, making it a targeted attack vector rather than a broad-based vulnerability. Microsoft addressed this issue through patch updates that strengthened pointer validation mechanisms and improved memory access controls within the Silverlight runtime. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper memory management and pointer validation in rich internet application platforms, particularly in environments where applications must handle untrusted content. Organizations should implement immediate patching measures and consider removing or disabling Silverlight applications that cannot be updated to mitigate this risk.