CVE-2015-2451 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 "Memory Corruption Vulnerability," a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-2450.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/08/2022
Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 9 through 11 contained a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enabled remote code execution through malicious web content. This vulnerability specifically affected the browser's handling of memory allocation and management during web page rendering processes, creating a pathway for attackers to inject and execute arbitrary code on affected systems. The flaw manifested when Internet Explorer encountered specially crafted web pages that triggered improper memory handling, leading to unpredictable behavior and potential system compromise.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions where programs access memory locations beyond allocated boundaries. The memory corruption occurred during the browser's JavaScript engine processing, particularly when handling complex object manipulation and memory allocation patterns. Attackers could exploit this by hosting malicious web content that would cause the browser to allocate memory incorrectly, potentially leading to memory overwrite conditions that could be leveraged for code execution.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability represented a significant threat to enterprise environments where Internet Explorer remained the primary browser for legacy applications. The remote exploitation capability meant that users could be compromised simply by visiting a malicious website, without requiring any user interaction beyond normal browsing activities. The vulnerability affected multiple versions of Internet Explorer, creating a broad attack surface that made it particularly dangerous for organizations with diverse browser deployments. This type of vulnerability is categorized under ATT&CK technique T1203, which covers exploitation for privilege escalation through memory corruption attacks.
Organizations facing this vulnerability needed to implement immediate mitigations including browser updates, security patches, and network-based protections. The recommended approach involved deploying Microsoft security updates that addressed the specific memory handling flaws in the affected browser versions. Additionally, implementing browser hardening measures such as disabling unnecessary JavaScript features and employing application whitelisting could reduce the attack surface. Network administrators should have considered implementing web filtering solutions to block access to known malicious domains and monitoring for suspicious traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlighted the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing layered security approaches to protect against sophisticated browser-based attacks that leverage memory corruption flaws.