CVE-2014-2789 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 through 11 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," a different vulnerability than CVE-2014-2795, CVE-2014-2798, and CVE-2014-2804.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/08/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-2789 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 8 through 11, exposing users to significant security risks including remote code execution and denial of service conditions. This vulnerability specifically affects the browser's handling of memory structures during web page rendering and script execution processes, creating exploitable conditions that adversaries can leverage to gain unauthorized system access. The flaw manifests when Internet Explorer encounters maliciously crafted web content that triggers improper memory management behaviors, leading to unpredictable system states that can be manipulated for malicious purposes. The vulnerability operates at a fundamental level within the browser's memory management subsystem, making it particularly dangerous as it can bypass traditional security controls and directly impact system stability and integrity.
The technical implementation of this memory corruption vulnerability stems from improper handling of memory allocation and deallocation processes within Internet Explorer's JavaScript engine and rendering components. Attackers can construct web pages containing specially crafted malicious code that, when loaded in affected browsers, causes memory corruption through buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or other memory management errors. These conditions occur when the browser attempts to access memory locations that have already been freed or when insufficient bounds checking occurs during memory operations. The vulnerability specifically impacts the browser's ability to properly manage memory resources when processing complex web content, particularly involving dynamic object manipulation and script execution. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-125: Out-of-bounds Read, which encompasses memory access violations that can lead to arbitrary code execution. The flaw demonstrates characteristics of a heap-based buffer overflow, where attackers can overwrite adjacent memory locations to manipulate program execution flow.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-2789 extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to encompass full system compromise capabilities that align with ATT&CK technique T1203: Exploitation for Client Execution. Successful exploitation can result in complete system control, allowing attackers to install malware, steal sensitive data, or establish persistent access to affected systems. The vulnerability's remote exploitation capability means that users need only visit a malicious website to be compromised, making it particularly dangerous in phishing campaigns and drive-by download attacks. Organizations running affected Internet Explorer versions face significant risk exposure, as the vulnerability affects a broad range of supported browser versions and operating systems. The memory corruption nature makes detection particularly challenging since the exploitation may not immediately manifest as a crash, allowing attackers to maintain stealth while establishing persistent backdoors. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the widespread deployment of Internet Explorer across enterprise environments, where legacy systems may not have received timely security updates.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-2789 should prioritize immediate patch deployment through Microsoft's security updates, as the vendor released comprehensive fixes addressing the memory corruption issues. Organizations must implement network-level protections including web application firewalls and content filtering systems to block access to known malicious domains. Browser hardening measures such as disabling unnecessary browser features, implementing enhanced security zones, and configuring automatic updates should be enforced across all affected systems. Security monitoring should include detection of suspicious memory access patterns and unusual browser behavior that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies that reduce attack surface exposure. System administrators should consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of untrusted web content and deploy endpoint protection solutions that can detect and block exploit attempts. Organizations should also conduct regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in their web application environments, as this class of memory corruption vulnerabilities represents a persistent threat in browser-based attack vectors.