CVE-2015-2442 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 through 11 and Edge allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via a crafted web site, aka "Memory Corruption Vulnerability," a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-2444.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/08/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-2442 represents a critical memory corruption flaw affecting Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 8 through 11 and Microsoft Edge browser implementations. This vulnerability falls under the category of remote code execution flaws that can be exploited through maliciously crafted web content, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise and consumer environments where users frequently browse the internet. The flaw specifically manifests as a memory corruption issue that occurs when processing specially crafted web content, potentially allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems or cause denial of service conditions.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory handling within the browser's rendering engine, particularly when processing certain web elements or JavaScript constructs. Attackers can craft malicious websites that, when loaded in affected browsers, trigger memory corruption conditions that can be leveraged to gain control over the affected system. This type of vulnerability typically involves buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or other memory management errors that occur during the parsing and execution of web content. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires no special privileges to exploit, making it particularly attractive to threat actors seeking to compromise user systems at scale.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations relying on Microsoft browsers for their daily operations. The ability to execute arbitrary code remotely means that attackers could potentially install malware, steal sensitive data, or establish persistent access to compromised systems. The cross-version nature of the vulnerability affects multiple browser versions, amplifying the potential attack surface and making it more challenging for organizations to remediate the issue quickly. The denial of service component further compounds the risk by potentially disrupting business operations through browser crashes or system instability. Organizations with legacy systems running Internet Explorer 8 through 11 are particularly vulnerable due to the extended support lifecycle and the presence of numerous unpatched systems in production environments.
The remediation approach for CVE-2015-2442 involves applying the appropriate security patches from Microsoft as part of their regular security update cycle. Organizations should prioritize patch deployment across all affected browser versions, with particular attention to Internet Explorer 8 through 11 installations. In environments where immediate patching is not feasible, temporary mitigations such as disabling JavaScript or implementing browser security restrictions can provide some protection. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and is categorized under the ATT&CK technique T1203 for Exploitation for Execution. Security teams should also implement network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and maintain awareness of related vulnerabilities in the same exploit family, such as CVE-2015-2444, which represents a similar but distinct memory corruption vulnerability. Regular security assessments and vulnerability management processes should include checks for this and similar browser-based memory corruption vulnerabilities to maintain comprehensive protection against evolving threat landscapes.