CVE-2014-2801 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Internet Explorer 10 and 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."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/08/2022
Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 10 and 11 contained a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enabled remote code execution through malicious web content. This vulnerability arose from improper handling of memory allocation and deallocation during web page rendering processes, creating exploitable conditions that adversaries could leverage to inject and execute arbitrary code on affected systems. The flaw specifically manifested when Internet Explorer processed certain JavaScript objects or DOM elements, leading to heap corruption that could be manipulated to overwrite critical memory regions. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write operations, both of which are common precursors to memory corruption exploits. Attackers could craft malicious websites containing specially crafted JavaScript code that would trigger the memory corruption when the browser attempted to render the page, potentially allowing for complete system compromise through techniques such as heap spraying or return-oriented programming. The operational impact of this vulnerability was severe as it affected a widely deployed browser with extensive user base, making it a prime target for zero-day exploits in the wild. The vulnerability's exploitation could result in arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the current user, enabling attackers to install malware, steal sensitive data, or establish persistent access to compromised systems. This type of vulnerability typically maps to ATT&CK technique T1203, which involves exploiting software vulnerabilities to gain system access, and T1059, which covers command and scripting interpreter usage for execution. Organizations running these affected versions of Internet Explorer faced significant risk as the vulnerability could be exploited through various attack vectors including malicious websites, email attachments, or compromised web services. The memory corruption occurred due to insufficient bounds checking during object manipulation within the browser's JavaScript engine, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate memory layout and redirect execution flow. Security researchers noted that the vulnerability was particularly dangerous because it could be exploited without user interaction in many scenarios, making it suitable for automated exploitation campaigns. The flaw's exploitation required careful crafting of malicious content that could bypass modern security mitigations such as DEP and ASLR, though these protections were often insufficient against sophisticated attackers. Microsoft released a security update that patched the vulnerability by correcting memory management routines and implementing additional bounds checking mechanisms. Organizations should have immediately deployed this patch and considered implementing additional security measures such as browser hardening, network segmentation, and user education to reduce the attack surface. The vulnerability demonstrated the ongoing challenges in securing complex browser environments where millions of lines of code interact with untrusted content, highlighting the importance of continuous security assessments and rapid patch deployment processes. This type of memory corruption vulnerability represents a fundamental weakness in software design that can have cascading effects on system security and underscores the need for robust memory safety practices in application development. The incident also emphasized the critical role of security researchers in identifying and reporting vulnerabilities before they could be weaponized by malicious actors, contributing to the broader cybersecurity community's defense against similar threats.