CVE-2015-1752 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-2015-1741.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/30/2024
Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 9 through 11 contained a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enabled remote code execution through malicious web content. This vulnerability specifically affected the browser's handling of memory management during web page rendering processes, creating a condition where attacker-controlled input could overwrite critical memory structures. The flaw manifested when Internet Explorer processed specially crafted HTML elements or JavaScript code that triggered improper memory allocation and deallocation sequences. This vulnerability falls under CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write operations. The attack vector involved visiting a malicious website that contained crafted elements designed to exploit the memory corruption flaw. When the browser attempted to render these elements, the corrupted memory could be manipulated to redirect execution flow to attacker-controlled code, enabling arbitrary code execution on the target system. The vulnerability was particularly dangerous because it could be exploited through standard web browsing activities without requiring any additional user interaction beyond visiting the malicious site. This type of vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1203, which covers exploitation for execution through web-based attacks. The memory corruption occurred at the browser's rendering engine level, specifically within the JavaScript engine or HTML parser components. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to install malware, steal sensitive information, or take complete control of the affected system. The impact extended beyond individual users to enterprise environments where Internet Explorer remained in use, as the vulnerability could be exploited through spear-phishing campaigns or compromised websites. Organizations that had not upgraded to newer browser versions were particularly vulnerable, as the flaw existed in widely deployed browser versions. The vulnerability was classified as a heap-based buffer overflow, where attacker-controlled data could overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially leading to privilege escalation if the browser ran with elevated permissions. This type of memory corruption vulnerability represents a significant threat to web security, as it allows attackers to bypass traditional security measures and execute code directly within the browser context. The flaw was particularly concerning because it required no user interaction beyond normal browsing, making it an ideal candidate for drive-by download attacks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involved the manipulation of memory pointers and buffer boundaries during the parsing of web content. When Internet Explorer encountered malformed or specially crafted HTML attributes, the browser's memory management system would allocate memory blocks that were insufficient for the data being processed. This created a situation where subsequent operations could write beyond the allocated memory boundaries, corrupting adjacent memory regions. The specific nature of the vulnerability allowed attackers to control the memory corruption process through carefully crafted web content that would trigger the exact sequence of operations needed to overwrite critical memory locations. This type of vulnerability is classified as a use-after-free condition in some analysis, where freed memory could be reallocated and manipulated by attackers. The exploitation required precise control over memory layout and could be made more reliable through techniques such as memory spraying or information leakage attacks. The vulnerability was particularly challenging to detect because it occurred within the normal operation of the browser, making it difficult to distinguish between legitimate browser behavior and malicious exploitation attempts.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability required immediate patching of affected Internet Explorer versions, as Microsoft released security updates to address the memory corruption flaw. Organizations needed to implement browser hardening measures including disabling unnecessary browser features, implementing content security policies, and using sandboxing techniques to limit the impact of successful exploits. The vulnerability highlighted the importance of keeping browser software updated, as it demonstrated how legacy browser versions could remain vulnerable to exploitation for extended periods. Security teams should have implemented network-based protections such as web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts. Browser vendors had to improve their memory management practices and implement additional bounds checking mechanisms to prevent similar issues in future releases. The vulnerability also emphasized the need for regular security assessments of browser configurations and the importance of transitioning away from legacy browser versions that no longer receive security updates. Organizations needed to develop incident response procedures specifically addressing browser-based exploits, as the vulnerability could lead to complete system compromise. The remediation process required careful testing of patches to ensure compatibility with existing applications and systems, as security updates could potentially introduce compatibility issues. This vulnerability served as a catalyst for improved browser security practices and highlighted the ongoing challenges of securing complex software applications that process untrusted web content. The attack patterns associated with this vulnerability were documented in various threat intelligence feeds and became part of standard security training materials for incident response teams.