CVE-2014-6344 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 and 9 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 • 02/24/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6344 represents a critical memory corruption flaw affecting Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 8 and 9. This vulnerability stems from improper handling of memory operations within the browser's rendering engine, specifically in how it processes certain web content structures. The flaw enables remote attackers to craft malicious websites that can trigger unpredictable memory behavior when the affected browsers attempt to render the malicious content. According to the Common Weakness Enumeration framework, this vulnerability maps to CWE-125: "Out-of-bounds Read," which describes a condition where a program reads data past the end of a valid buffer, potentially leading to memory corruption and arbitrary code execution.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when Internet Explorer encounters specially crafted web content that triggers memory corruption during the parsing and rendering process. Attackers can leverage this flaw by hosting malicious web pages that contain malformed data structures or improper memory references that cause the browser to allocate or access memory locations beyond their intended boundaries. The memory corruption can manifest in various forms including heap corruption, stack corruption, or pointer dereference errors that ultimately allow attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running the vulnerable browser. This vulnerability falls under the ATT&CK technique T1203: "Exploitation for Client Execution" and specifically relates to T1059: "Command and Scripting Interpreter" as attackers can use the compromised browser to execute malicious commands.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-6344 is severe and far-reaching, particularly given the widespread deployment of Internet Explorer 8 and 9 in enterprise environments during the affected time period. Organizations running these vulnerable browser versions face significant risk of compromise, as the vulnerability can be exploited through simple web browsing activities without requiring user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website. The potential for denial of service attacks means that even if attackers cannot immediately execute code, they can still disrupt business operations by causing browser crashes or system instability. Furthermore, the memory corruption nature of this vulnerability means that successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise, allowing attackers to install malware, steal sensitive data, or establish persistent access to affected systems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems, as Microsoft released security updates to address the memory corruption flaw in subsequent security bulletins. Organizations should implement network-based protections such as web application firewalls and content filtering solutions to block access to known malicious domains. Browser hardening measures including disabling unnecessary browser features, implementing strict security zones, and using sandboxing technologies can provide additional layers of protection. Additionally, security awareness training for end users to recognize potentially malicious websites and avoid visiting untrusted web content remains crucial. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies to protect against zero-day exploits that target widely deployed software components.