CVE-2015-2486 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 through 11 and Microsoft 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-2015-2487, CVE-2015-2490, CVE-2015-2492, CVE-2015-2494, CVE-2015-2498, and CVE-2015-2499.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/14/2022
This vulnerability represents a critical memory corruption flaw affecting Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 7 through 11 and Microsoft Edge browsers. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of memory allocation and deallocation during web page rendering processes, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate memory structures through maliciously crafted web content. The flaw allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems or cause denial of service conditions, making it a significant threat vector for both persistent attacks and system compromise scenarios. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-125 as an out-of-bounds read condition that can lead to memory corruption, and it aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 for exploitation of memory corruption vulnerabilities. The attack surface is particularly broad given the widespread deployment of Internet Explorer across enterprise environments and the ubiquity of web browsing activities. Microsoft classified this as a remote code execution vulnerability, indicating that no user interaction is required for exploitation, making it particularly dangerous in targeted attack scenarios. The vulnerability is distinct from several other related memory corruption issues identified in the same vulnerability report, highlighting the complexity of browser security and the numerous ways memory management can fail in web rendering engines.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the exploitation of memory corruption patterns that occur when browsers process malformed or malicious content. Attackers can craft web pages containing specially designed JavaScript or HTML elements that trigger memory corruption during rendering operations. This typically occurs when the browser's memory management system fails to properly validate input data or when it incorrectly handles memory pointers during object manipulation. The flaw specifically affects how browsers manage memory during dynamic content rendering, particularly when dealing with complex web page structures, JavaScript objects, or DOM manipulation operations. The memory corruption can manifest as heap corruption, stack corruption, or other memory management failures that can be leveraged to execute arbitrary code. Security researchers have identified that the vulnerability often requires a specific combination of browser versions and operating system configurations to achieve successful exploitation, though the exact conditions vary based on the target system's memory layout and security mitigations in place.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple remote code execution to encompass broader security implications for enterprise networks and individual users. Organizations running affected browser versions face significant risk of unauthorized system compromise, data exfiltration, and persistent access to their networks. The vulnerability's classification as a memory corruption issue means that exploitation can lead to complete system compromise, as attackers can leverage the memory corruption to escalate privileges and gain administrative access to target systems. The fact that this vulnerability affects both older Internet Explorer versions and Microsoft Edge indicates that the underlying memory management issues persist across Microsoft's browser architecture, suggesting a fundamental design flaw in how these browsers handle dynamic memory allocation. The vulnerability also impacts user productivity and business continuity, as successful exploitation can lead to system crashes, data loss, and extended recovery periods. Organizations may experience increased security incident response activities, forensic investigations, and potential regulatory compliance issues if exploited successfully in production environments.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate action including applying Microsoft security patches and updates, implementing browser hardening measures, and establishing network-based protections. Microsoft released security updates addressing this vulnerability through their regular security bulletin process, and organizations should prioritize deployment of these patches across all affected systems. Browser security configurations should include disabling unnecessary features, implementing content security policies, and restricting access to potentially malicious websites through network filtering solutions. Network security teams should deploy intrusion detection systems that can identify exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability, and organizations should consider implementing browser isolation technologies to reduce attack surface exposure. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date browser software and implementing layered security approaches, as the memory corruption nature of the flaw makes it particularly difficult to defend against using traditional perimeter security measures alone. Organizations should also consider implementing user education programs to reduce the risk of social engineering attacks that might leverage this vulnerability, as attackers often combine memory corruption exploits with phishing or other social engineering techniques to achieve successful compromises.