CVE-2015-1714 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Internet Explorer 10 and 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 • 11/30/2024
This vulnerability affects Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 10 and 11, representing a critical memory corruption flaw that enables remote code execution or denial of service attacks. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of memory operations when processing crafted web content, specifically involving objects that are not properly validated or sanitized during rendering. Attackers can exploit this weakness by hosting malicious web content that triggers the vulnerable code path, leading to arbitrary code execution on the target system with the privileges of the current user. The flaw typically manifests through heap corruption or stack overflow conditions that occur when Internet Explorer attempts to process malformed data structures in web pages. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write operations. The attack vector requires user interaction through visiting a malicious website, making it particularly dangerous in phishing campaigns or compromised websites. From an operational perspective, this vulnerability represents a significant risk to enterprise environments where users frequently browse the internet and may encounter malicious content. The exploitability of this vulnerability is enhanced by the widespread use of Internet Explorer across organizations and the fact that it can be triggered through standard web browsing activities without requiring special privileges or complex attack chains. The memory corruption occurs at the browser level during object rendering, making it difficult to detect through traditional network-based security controls. This vulnerability is categorized under the ATT&CK technique T1203, which involves exploitation of remote services, and T1059, which covers command and scripting interpreters. Organizations using older versions of Internet Explorer are particularly vulnerable as these systems lack the security mitigations present in newer browser versions. The vulnerability can be leveraged by attackers to establish persistent access to compromised systems, potentially leading to data exfiltration, lateral movement, or full system compromise. Microsoft released patches to address this vulnerability through security updates, but many organizations failed to deploy these fixes promptly, leaving systems exposed to active exploitation. The impact extends beyond individual user systems to enterprise networks, as a successful exploitation can provide attackers with a foothold for broader network infiltration. Organizations should prioritize patch management and browser security hardening to mitigate the risk of exploitation, while implementing network-based protections such as web application firewalls and content filtering solutions. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of keeping browser software up to date and implementing defense-in-depth strategies that include user education and monitoring for suspicious web activity. Security professionals should monitor for indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability and ensure that all Internet Explorer installations are updated with the latest security patches. The flaw underscores the critical need for regular security assessments and vulnerability management programs to identify and remediate similar issues before they can be exploited by threat actors.