CVE-2015-1755 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," a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-1731, CVE-2015-1736, and CVE-2015-1737.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/30/2024
Microsoft Internet Explorer 10 and 11 suffered from a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enabled remote code execution and denial of service attacks through maliciously crafted web content. This vulnerability specifically affected the browser's handling of memory operations during web page rendering, creating a pathway for attackers to inject and execute arbitrary code on affected systems. The flaw manifested when Internet Explorer processed specially crafted HTML elements or JavaScript code that triggered improper memory management behaviors within the browser's rendering engine. Security researchers identified this issue as distinct from other contemporaneous vulnerabilities affecting the same browser versions, particularly those listed in the CVE references. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-125 indicates it involved out-of-bounds read conditions that could lead to memory corruption, while its operational characteristics align with ATT&CK technique T1203 for legitimate program execution. Attackers could exploit this weakness by hosting malicious web pages that, when loaded in Internet Explorer, would cause the browser to allocate or access memory beyond its intended boundaries. The memory corruption could result in unpredictable behavior including application crashes, memory leaks, or more critically, the execution of attacker-controlled code within the browser's security context. This vulnerability represented a significant threat to enterprise environments where Internet Explorer remained the primary browser, as it could be leveraged for privilege escalation attacks and persistent system compromise. The attack vector required no user interaction beyond visiting the malicious website, making it particularly dangerous in phishing campaigns or compromised web applications. Organizations needed to implement immediate mitigations including browser updates, security policy configurations, and network-based protections to prevent exploitation of this vulnerability. The flaw highlighted the importance of secure coding practices and memory management in browser implementations, as improper handling of memory operations could create persistent security risks. Microsoft's patching cycle for this vulnerability demonstrated the critical nature of addressing memory corruption issues in widely deployed software components. The vulnerability's impact extended beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as successful exploitation could provide attackers with full system compromise capabilities. Security professionals needed to monitor for indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability, including unusual memory access patterns and browser process behavior, to detect potential exploitation attempts. The technical analysis of CVE-2015-1755 emphasized the need for robust input validation and memory safety mechanisms in browser environments, particularly for legacy software that continued to receive support. This vulnerability underscored the ongoing challenges in maintaining secure web browsing experiences as browser complexity increased, requiring continuous vigilance and proactive security measures from both vendors and users.