CVE-2014-6348 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Internet Explorer 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," a different vulnerability than CVE-2014-6342.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/24/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6348 represents a critical memory corruption flaw in Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 that enables remote code execution and denial of service attacks. This vulnerability specifically affects the browser's handling of memory structures during web page rendering, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the software through crafted web content. The flaw manifests when Internet Explorer processes certain elements within web pages, leading to improper memory management that can be leveraged to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable systems. Unlike CVE-2014-6342 which addresses a different memory corruption issue, this vulnerability focuses specifically on how IE9 manages memory allocation and deallocation during browser operations.
The technical implementation of this memory corruption vulnerability stems from improper handling of objects within Internet Explorer's rendering engine, particularly in how the browser manages memory buffers during page processing. Attackers can craft malicious web pages that trigger memory corruption by manipulating object references and memory addresses in ways that cause the browser to execute unintended code sequences. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-125 weakness category, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions where a program accesses memory beyond the bounds of a valid buffer. The exploit typically involves creating specially crafted HTML content or JavaScript that causes the browser to allocate or access memory in unexpected ways, leading to potential code execution or system instability.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to organizations relying on Internet Explorer 9 as their primary browser, as it allows attackers to gain remote code execution privileges without requiring user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website. The memory corruption can lead to complete system compromise when exploited successfully, enabling attackers to install malware, steal data, or establish persistent access to affected systems. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond individual user sessions to potentially affect entire network infrastructures, as compromised browsers can serve as entry points for broader attacks. Organizations may experience denial of service conditions when the vulnerability is exploited, causing browser crashes and system instability that impacts productivity and availability.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-6348 should prioritize immediate patch deployment through Microsoft's security updates, as the vulnerability requires no user interaction to exploit and can be leveraged for automated attacks. Organizations should implement browser isolation techniques and network segmentation to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. Security professionals should also consider deploying web application firewalls and content filtering solutions to detect and block malicious web content before it reaches vulnerable browsers. The vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1203 (Exploitation for Client Execution) and T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) which describe how attackers use browser vulnerabilities to execute malicious code and establish persistence. Additionally, implementing security awareness training to educate users about avoiding suspicious websites and maintaining updated browser versions can provide additional defense layers against this and similar memory corruption vulnerabilities.