CVE-2014-2802 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Internet Explorer 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-2014-2787, CVE-2014-2790, and CVE-2014-2806.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/08/2022
This vulnerability represents a critical memory corruption flaw in Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 that enables remote code execution through malicious web content. The vulnerability arises from improper handling of memory structures during web page rendering, specifically when processing crafted HTML elements or JavaScript code. Attackers can leverage this weakness by hosting malicious websites that trigger the vulnerable code path in the browser's rendering engine, leading to arbitrary code execution on the target system. The flaw is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited through standard web browsing activities without requiring any special privileges or user interaction beyond visiting the compromised website.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves heap corruption within Internet Explorer's memory management system, where malicious input causes buffer overflows or use-after-free conditions in the browser's scripting engine. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-125: Out-of-bounds Read and CWE-787: Out-of-bounds Write, both of which are common indicators of memory corruption vulnerabilities in web browsers. The attack surface is extensive as it affects all versions of Internet Explorer 11 running on supported Windows operating systems, making it particularly attractive to threat actors seeking broad exploitation capabilities.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risk to enterprise environments where Internet Explorer remains the primary browser for legacy applications. The remote exploitation capability means attackers can compromise systems from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access or specialized attack vectors. The memory corruption nature makes detection difficult as the exploit may appear as random crashes or system instability before achieving full compromise. Organizations running Internet Explorer 11 are particularly vulnerable because the browser's extensive feature set and integration with Windows operating system components provide multiple attack vectors for exploitation.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigations including disabling Internet Explorer 11 if possible, deploying enhanced browser security features such as Address Space Layout Randomization and Data Execution Prevention, and ensuring comprehensive network monitoring for suspicious web traffic patterns. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203: Exploitation for Client Execution, where adversaries leverage software vulnerabilities to execute malicious code on target systems. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and content filtering solutions to prevent access to known malicious domains while maintaining business continuity through proper patch management and browser migration strategies to modern alternatives such as Microsoft Edge or Chrome.