CVE-2014-1762 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 through 11 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code with medium-integrity privileges and bypass a sandbox protection mechanism via unknown vectors, as demonstrated by ZDI during a Pwn4Fun competition at CanSecWest 2014.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/12/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-1762 represents a critical security flaw in Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 that was disclosed in 2014. This vulnerability specifically targets the browser's sandbox protection mechanisms, which are designed to contain potential exploits within isolated environments to prevent system-wide compromise. The issue was demonstrated by ZDI (Zero Day Initiative) during the Pwn4Fun competition at CanSecWest 2014, highlighting its practical exploitability in real-world scenarios. The vulnerability operates at medium-integrity privileges, meaning that successful exploitation would allow attackers to execute code with elevated but not full system privileges, though this still represents a significant security risk.
The technical nature of this vulnerability involves an unspecified attack vector that bypasses the sandbox protection mechanisms that are fundamental to modern browser security architectures. Internet Explorer 11 implemented sandboxing to isolate rendering processes and prevent malicious code from directly accessing system resources or modifying critical components. When such a bypass occurs, it undermines the core security model that separates trusted browser functionality from potentially malicious web content. The sandbox protection mechanism typically operates at the operating system level, using features like mandatory access controls, process isolation, and privilege separation to ensure that even if an attacker successfully injects malicious code, they cannot easily escalate privileges or access sensitive system resources.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates a significant risk for organizations that rely on Internet Explorer 11 for business operations, particularly those that may not have immediate access to security updates or patch management processes. The medium-integrity execution context means that while attackers cannot immediately gain full system administrator privileges, they can still execute arbitrary code within the browser's security boundaries, potentially allowing for further exploitation attempts, data exfiltration, or lateral movement within the network. The fact that this vulnerability was demonstrated during a security competition indicates that it represents a genuine threat that could be exploited by skilled adversaries in targeted attacks.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with techniques described in the attack framework, where adversaries often target browser security mechanisms as primary attack vectors due to the privileged access that browsers maintain within user environments. This type of vulnerability typically falls under the category of sandbox escape techniques, which are commonly categorized in the MITRE ATT&CK framework as part of the privilege escalation and defense evasion tactics. Organizations should consider implementing additional security controls such as browser hardening, network segmentation, and monitoring for anomalous browser behavior to mitigate the risk associated with such vulnerabilities. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of keeping browser software updated, as Microsoft would have likely addressed this issue in subsequent security updates, and the need for organizations to maintain robust patch management processes to protect against known vulnerabilities.
The broader implications of this vulnerability extend beyond immediate exploitation potential to represent a failure in the browser's security model that could enable more sophisticated attack chains. When sandbox mechanisms are bypassed, attackers can potentially combine this initial foothold with other vulnerabilities or techniques to achieve full system compromise. The vulnerability demonstrates how even sophisticated security features like sandboxing can be circumvented through targeted exploitation, emphasizing the ongoing arms race between security researchers and attackers. Organizations should view this vulnerability as a reminder of the importance of comprehensive security strategies that include multiple layers of defense, regular security assessments, and proactive threat hunting activities to identify and remediate similar issues before they can be exploited in the wild.