CVE-2015-2443 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 "Memory Corruption Vulnerability."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/08/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-2443 represents a critical memory corruption flaw affecting Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 10 and 11. This vulnerability resides within the browser's handling of web content and provides attackers with the capability to execute arbitrary code on targeted systems or induce denial of service conditions. The flaw manifests when users visit malicious websites that contain specially crafted content designed to exploit the memory management functions within the browser's rendering engine. Such attacks leverage the inherent complexity of web browser architectures where multiple components interact to process and display web content, creating potential attack surfaces that adversaries can manipulate for unauthorized access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper memory handling within Internet Explorer's JavaScript engine and rendering components. Attackers can craft web pages containing malformed data structures or exploit specific sequences of operations that cause the browser to improperly manage memory allocations, leading to buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or other memory corruption scenarios. These conditions occur when the browser attempts to access memory locations that have already been freed or when it writes beyond allocated memory boundaries. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the browser level where user interactions with web content trigger the exploitation sequence, making it difficult to prevent through traditional network security measures. The flaw aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write vulnerabilities, both of which are common in memory management errors within complex software applications.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-2443 extends beyond simple remote code execution to encompass significant security risks for enterprise environments and individual users. Successful exploitation can result in complete system compromise where attackers gain full control over affected systems, potentially leading to data theft, persistent backdoor installation, or lateral movement within network infrastructures. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not require physical access to target systems, enabling large-scale attacks through phishing campaigns, malicious advertisements, or compromised websites. Organizations running affected versions of Internet Explorer face potential data breaches, system downtime, and increased security maintenance costs. The attack surface is particularly broad given that Internet Explorer remains widely deployed in corporate environments, making this vulnerability attractive to both nation-state actors and criminal organizations. This type of vulnerability is categorized under the ATT&CK framework as T1203, which covers Exploitation for Client Execution, and T1059, which covers Command and Scripting Interpreter, demonstrating how such memory corruption flaws can be leveraged for broader attack chains.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-2443 require immediate patch deployment as the primary defense mechanism, with Microsoft releasing security updates to address the memory corruption issues in affected IE versions. Organizations should implement browser hardening measures including disabling unnecessary features, implementing content security policies, and restricting access to potentially malicious websites through web filtering solutions. Network-level protections such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems can help detect and block malicious traffic patterns associated with exploitation attempts. Additionally, user education programs should emphasize the importance of avoiding suspicious websites and email attachments that could lead to exploitation. System administrators should consider implementing application whitelisting policies to prevent execution of unauthorized code, and organizations should conduct regular vulnerability assessments to identify and remediate similar memory corruption issues in their software environments. The remediation process should include thorough testing of patches in controlled environments before widespread deployment to ensure compatibility with existing business applications and systems.