CVE-2014-2807 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 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-2014-2800 and CVE-2014-2809.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/20/2024
This vulnerability represents a critical memory corruption flaw in Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 6 through 11 that enables remote code execution attacks. The vulnerability arises from improper handling of memory structures during web page rendering, specifically when processing malformed or crafted web content. Attackers can exploit this weakness by hosting malicious web content that, when loaded in Internet Explorer, triggers memory corruption conditions leading to arbitrary code execution or system crashes. The flaw is particularly dangerous because it affects multiple versions of the browser spanning over a decade of releases, making it a widespread concern for organizations maintaining legacy systems.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves memory corruption patterns that can be triggered through specific combinations of HTML elements, JavaScript code, or embedded objects within web pages. When Internet Explorer processes these crafted elements, it fails to properly validate memory boundaries during object manipulation or memory allocation operations. This results in corrupted memory structures that attackers can leverage to execute malicious code with the privileges of the currently logged-in user. The vulnerability operates at a low level within the browser's memory management system, making detection and prevention particularly challenging for security systems.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to enterprise environments where older Internet Explorer versions remain in use. Organizations with legacy systems or restricted update policies face heightened exposure since these browser versions are no longer receiving security patches from Microsoft. The vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including malicious websites, email attachments, or compromised web services that deliver the malicious content directly to users. The memory corruption nature means that successful exploitation can lead to complete system compromise, data theft, or persistent backdoor installation, making it a preferred target for advanced persistent threat actors.
Security professionals should implement multiple layers of defense to protect against this vulnerability. The most effective mitigation involves immediate deployment of Microsoft security patches and updates for affected Internet Explorer versions. Organizations should also consider implementing browser isolation techniques, network segmentation, and web application firewalls to reduce attack surface. According to CWE standards, this vulnerability maps to CWE-125: "Out-of-bounds Read" and CWE-787: "Out-of-bounds Write" categories, highlighting the memory safety issues within the browser's processing engine. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with T1203: "Exploitation for Client Execution" and T1059: "Command and Scripting Interpreter" tactics, as attackers can leverage it to establish persistent access and execute commands on compromised systems. Regular security assessments and user education about avoiding suspicious web content remain essential defensive measures against this and similar browser-based exploits.