CVE-2015-1741 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 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-2015-1752.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/20/2022
Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 9 through 11 contained a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enabled remote code execution through malicious web content. This vulnerability arose from improper handling of memory operations within the browser's rendering engine, specifically affecting how Internet Explorer processed certain JavaScript objects and memory allocations. The flaw allowed attackers to craft specially designed web pages that could trigger memory corruption conditions when rendered by the affected browser versions. According to CWE-125, this vulnerability represents an out-of-bounds read condition where the browser attempted to access memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries, creating opportunities for arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability was distinct from CVE-2015-1752 and demonstrated the persistent security challenges in complex browser environments where memory management errors could be exploited to gain unauthorized system access.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involved crafting web content that would cause Internet Explorer to allocate memory in unexpected ways, leading to memory corruption that could be leveraged by attackers to execute malicious code with the privileges of the logged-in user. Attackers could deliver this exploit through drive-by downloads, malicious websites, or compromised web pages that would automatically trigger the memory corruption when users visited the malicious content. The vulnerability's impact extended beyond simple code execution to potentially enable privilege escalation attacks, as successful exploitation could allow attackers to gain elevated system privileges. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, where adversaries leverage software vulnerabilities to execute malicious code, and T1059, which involves using command and scripting interpreters to carry out attacks. The memory corruption nature of the vulnerability meant that exploitation could also result in denial of service conditions, making the attack surface even broader.
Organizations and users affected by this vulnerability faced significant security risks as Internet Explorer remained widely used across enterprise environments and personal computing platforms. The vulnerability's exploitation required minimal user interaction, as simply visiting a malicious website could trigger the exploit without requiring user confirmation or specific actions. This characteristic made it particularly dangerous in corporate environments where users might inadvertently visit compromised websites or receive malicious links through email or other communication channels. The vulnerability highlighted the importance of maintaining up-to-date browser software and implementing network security controls such as web application firewalls and content filtering solutions. Security professionals needed to prioritize patch management for affected Internet Explorer versions and consider implementing browser hardening measures to reduce the attack surface. The vulnerability also emphasized the need for regular security assessments and penetration testing to identify similar memory corruption issues that might exist in other browser components or web applications.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability centered around immediate patch deployment through Microsoft's security updates, as well as implementing additional security controls to protect against exploitation attempts. Organizations should have implemented browser isolation techniques and restricted Internet Explorer usage in enterprise environments where possible. Network security teams needed to deploy intrusion detection systems capable of identifying exploitation attempts and configure web proxies to filter potentially malicious content. The vulnerability underscored the importance of defense-in-depth strategies that combine multiple security layers, including endpoint protection, network monitoring, and user education programs to reduce the likelihood of successful exploitation. Regular security awareness training became essential to help users recognize potentially malicious websites and avoid visiting compromised content. This vulnerability also reinforced the necessity of maintaining comprehensive incident response procedures and security monitoring capabilities to quickly detect and respond to exploitation attempts. Organizations that failed to address this vulnerability within the recommended timeframe faced increased risk of successful attacks leading to data breaches, system compromises, and potential regulatory compliance violations.