CVE-2015-0030 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-2015-0017, CVE-2015-0020, CVE-2015-0022, CVE-2015-0026, CVE-2015-0031, CVE-2015-0036, and CVE-2015-0041.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/09/2022
Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 6 through 11 contained a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enabled remote code execution through maliciously crafted web content. This vulnerability specifically affected the browser's handling of memory management during web page rendering processes, creating exploitable conditions that could be leveraged by attackers to execute arbitrary code on victim systems or cause denial of service conditions. The flaw manifested when Internet Explorer processed certain malformed or crafted web elements, leading to improper memory allocation and deallocation patterns that resulted in memory corruption. This vulnerability represented a distinct threat vector from other contemporaneous issues affecting the same browser versions, with CVE-2015-0030 being separate from related vulnerabilities including CVE-2015-0017, CVE-2015-0020, CVE-2015-0022, CVE-2015-0026, CVE-2015-0031, CVE-2015-0036, and CVE-2015-0041, each addressing different aspects of Internet Explorer's security architecture. The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligned with common CWE categories related to memory safety issues, specifically CWE-125 Out-of-bounds Read and CWE-787 Out-of-bounds Write, which are fundamental concerns in software security. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability by hosting malicious web content that would trigger the memory corruption when users visited compromised websites, potentially leading to full system compromise through techniques such as heap spraying or return-oriented programming. The operational impact was significant given the widespread adoption of Internet Explorer across enterprise environments and consumer systems, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it could be exploited through standard web browsing activities without requiring special privileges or user interaction beyond visiting malicious sites. Organizations running affected Internet Explorer versions faced substantial risk of data breaches, system compromise, and potential lateral movement within networks, as the vulnerability could be used to establish persistent access to target systems. The vulnerability's exploitation typically required the victim to visit a malicious website or open a specially crafted document, making social engineering attacks particularly effective in combination with this memory corruption flaw. Security professionals should have implemented immediate mitigations including browser updates, network-based protections, and user education to reduce exposure to this vulnerability. The ATT&CK framework would categorize this vulnerability under T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution, highlighting its role in establishing initial access through web-based attack vectors. Microsoft addressed this vulnerability through security updates that corrected the memory management issues in affected browser versions, requiring organizations to apply patches promptly to maintain system security. The broader implications of this vulnerability underscored the importance of regular security maintenance and the need for robust memory safety practices in web browser development to prevent similar issues in future software releases. Organizations needed to implement comprehensive vulnerability management processes that included regular patching, network monitoring, and security awareness training to protect against exploitation of such memory corruption flaws. The vulnerability also demonstrated how legacy browser support requirements could create extended attack surfaces, as older Internet Explorer versions continued to be used in enterprise environments despite known security weaknesses. This particular vulnerability highlighted the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date browser security implementations and the potential consequences of running unsupported software versions in production environments.