CVE-2014-6327 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-2014-6329 and CVE-2014-6376.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/01/2022
Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 contains a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service conditions through maliciously crafted web content. This vulnerability represents a distinct issue from other related vulnerabilities in the same year, specifically CVE-2014-6329 and CVE-2014-6376, indicating a separate code path or memory handling mechanism within the browser's rendering engine. The flaw occurs when Internet Explorer processes specially crafted web pages that trigger improper memory management during content rendering, leading to potential exploitation by threat actors who can leverage this weakness to gain unauthorized system access or disrupt service availability.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory handling within Internet Explorer 11's JavaScript engine or rendering components, where attackers can manipulate memory structures through malformed web content. This type of memory corruption vulnerability typically manifests when the browser fails to properly validate or sanitize input data during web page processing, allowing malicious code to overwrite memory locations or execute arbitrary instructions within the browser's memory space. The vulnerability operates at a low level within the browser's architecture, potentially affecting the integrity of memory regions allocated for web content processing and script execution. According to CWE classification, this represents a memory corruption vulnerability with potential for privilege escalation and remote code execution, falling under the category of CWE-125: Out-of-bounds Read and CWE-787: Out-of-bounds Write.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to include full system compromise when exploited successfully. Attackers can leverage this weakness to execute malicious code with the privileges of the current user, potentially leading to complete system takeover, data exfiltration, or establishment of persistent backdoors. The vulnerability affects all versions of Internet Explorer 11 running on supported Windows operating systems, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where legacy browser support remains common. Organizations using Internet Explorer 11 for business operations face significant risk exposure, especially when users access untrusted web content or visit compromised websites. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal user interaction, often succeeding through drive-by downloads or visiting malicious websites, making it particularly dangerous for end users who may not recognize the threat.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate deployment of Microsoft security patches, which address the underlying memory corruption issue through proper input validation and memory management improvements. Organizations should implement browser hardening measures such as disabling unnecessary browser features, implementing content security policies, and deploying web application firewalls to filter malicious content. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the Tactic of Execution and the Technique of Exploitation for Privilege Escalation, highlighting the need for layered security approaches including network segmentation, user access controls, and regular security assessments. Additional protective measures include implementing browser isolation technologies, conducting regular vulnerability scanning, and maintaining up-to-date threat intelligence to detect and respond to exploitation attempts. Given the nature of memory corruption vulnerabilities, system monitoring for anomalous memory usage patterns and unexpected process behavior can help detect exploitation attempts before they succeed in compromising systems.