CVE-2014-4107 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-2014-2799, CVE-2014-4059, CVE-2014-4065, CVE-2014-4079, CVE-2014-4081, CVE-2014-4083, CVE-2014-4085, CVE-2014-4088, CVE-2014-4090, CVE-2014-4094, CVE-2014-4097, CVE-2014-4100, CVE-2014-4103, CVE-2014-4104, CVE-2014-4105, CVE-2014-4106, CVE-2014-4108, CVE-2014-4109, CVE-2014-4110, and CVE-2014-4111.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/22/2024
This vulnerability represents a critical memory corruption flaw affecting Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 6 through 11, classified under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-125 as an out-of-bounds read condition. The vulnerability arises from improper handling of memory operations within the browser's rendering engine, specifically when processing crafted web content that triggers memory corruption patterns. Attackers can exploit this weakness by hosting malicious web pages that, when loaded in affected IE versions, cause the browser to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the current user. The flaw manifests as a memory corruption vulnerability that can lead to either remote code execution or denial of service conditions, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise environments where legacy browser support remains necessary.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the exploitation of memory management errors in Internet Explorer's JavaScript engine and HTML parser components. When a user visits a malicious website containing specially crafted HTML elements or JavaScript code, the browser's memory handling routines fail to properly validate input data structures, leading to buffer overflows or pointer corruption. This memory corruption can be leveraged by attackers to overwrite critical memory locations, potentially allowing them to inject and execute malicious code within the browser process space. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it affects multiple versions of Internet Explorer, requiring organizations to address security gaps across their entire browser ecosystem rather than focusing on a single version.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to organizations relying on older Internet Explorer versions for business-critical applications or legacy system access. The exploitability of this flaw means that users can be compromised simply by visiting a malicious website, making it a prime target for drive-by download attacks and targeted campaigns. Security professionals must consider the ATT&CK framework's T1203 technique for legitimate code execution and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter usage when analyzing incidents related to this vulnerability. Organizations with unpatched systems face potential full system compromise, as attackers can leverage this memory corruption to escalate privileges and establish persistent access through browser-based attack vectors.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-4107 require comprehensive remediation approaches that address both immediate security gaps and long-term browser lifecycle management. Organizations should prioritize immediate patch deployment for all affected Internet Explorer versions, implementing Microsoft's security updates as soon as they become available. Additionally, network-based mitigations such as implementing web application firewalls and content filtering solutions can help reduce exposure by blocking known malicious content patterns. Browser isolation techniques and mandatory security configuration changes, including disabling unnecessary browser features and implementing strict security zones, provide additional defense layers. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-125 highlights the importance of robust input validation and memory management practices, which should be integrated into security development lifecycle processes to prevent similar issues in future software releases.