CVE-2014-2797 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 • 02/08/2022
Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 6 through 8 contained a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enabled remote code execution through crafted web content. This vulnerability stems from improper handling of memory allocation and deallocation during web page rendering processes, creating exploitable conditions that could be leveraged by malicious actors to inject and execute arbitrary code on targeted systems. The flaw manifested when Internet Explorer processed specially crafted HTML elements or JavaScript code that triggered memory corruption behaviors in the browser's rendering engine. This vulnerability represents a classic buffer overflow condition where insufficient bounds checking allowed attackers to overwrite critical memory regions, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The issue falls under CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write vulnerabilities, both of which are fundamental memory safety concerns in software development. From an operational perspective, this vulnerability was particularly dangerous because it required no user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website, making it a prime candidate for drive-by download attacks and automated exploitation campaigns. The attack surface was extensive given the widespread deployment of these older Internet Explorer versions across enterprise environments, creating a significant risk for organizations that had not yet migrated to newer browser versions. The vulnerability's exploitation could result in complete system compromise, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the logged-in user, potentially leading to data theft, system infiltration, and lateral movement within network infrastructures. Organizations that were slow to patch or upgrade their systems faced severe operational impacts including potential data breaches, regulatory compliance violations, and significant financial losses due to system downtime and remediation efforts. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1203, which involves exploiting vulnerabilities in web browsers, and T1059, which covers command and scripting interpreters, as attackers could leverage the compromised browser to execute malicious code and establish persistent access to target systems. Remediation strategies required immediate patch deployment through Microsoft's security updates, along with comprehensive browser migration planning to eliminate reliance on unsupported browser versions. Organizations needed to implement network segmentation, web application firewalls, and enhanced monitoring to detect exploitation attempts, while also conducting thorough vulnerability assessments to identify systems running vulnerable Internet Explorer versions. The vulnerability highlighted the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date software security patches and the risks associated with legacy browser support in enterprise environments, serving as a catalyst for improved vulnerability management practices and security awareness training across organizations.