CVE-2014-4128 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."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/22/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-4128 represents a critical memory corruption flaw affecting Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 6 through 11. This vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions that can lead to memory corruption and arbitrary code execution. The flaw manifests when Internet Explorer processes specially crafted web content that triggers improper memory handling during object manipulation and memory allocation operations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through malicious web pages that contain crafted JavaScript or HTML elements designed to trigger memory corruption within the browser's memory management subsystem. Attackers can leverage this flaw to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the logged-on user, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The memory corruption typically occurs during the processing of dynamic content, particularly when handling objects that undergo rapid memory allocation and deallocation cycles.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to organizations as Internet Explorer remains widely deployed across enterprise environments, particularly in legacy systems and administrative domains where older browser versions persist. The remote exploitation capability means that attackers can compromise systems simply by persuading users to visit malicious websites, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in targeted attack scenarios. The vulnerability can also be leveraged for denial of service attacks, where the memory corruption causes browser crashes and system instability.
The impact of CVE-2014-4128 aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which covers exploitation for execution through memory corruption vulnerabilities. Organizations affected by this vulnerability face potential data breaches, system compromise, and lateral movement opportunities for attackers who successfully exploit the flaw. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple Internet Explorer versions indicates a fundamental issue in the browser's memory management architecture that required comprehensive patching across the affected product line.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediate deployment of Microsoft security updates and patches released in response to the vulnerability disclosure. Organizations should implement browser hardening measures such as disabling unnecessary browser features, implementing content security policies, and restricting access to untrusted websites. Additionally, network-based mitigations such as web application firewalls and intrusion prevention systems can help detect and block exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify systems running vulnerable versions of Internet Explorer, with immediate remediation prioritized for high-risk environments. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date browser security practices and implementing multi-layered defense strategies to protect against similar memory corruption threats.