CVE-2015-6051 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Internet Explorer 10 and 11 allows remote attackers to gain privileges via a crafted web site, as demonstrated by a transition from Low Integrity to Medium Integrity, aka "Internet Explorer Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/21/2022
The CVE-2015-6051 vulnerability represents a critical elevation of privilege flaw in Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 10 and 11 that enables remote attackers to escalate their security context from low integrity to medium integrity levels. This vulnerability exploits the browser's handling of security boundaries and privilege management mechanisms, specifically targeting the integrity level transitions that occur during web browsing operations. The flaw allows adversaries to execute malicious code with elevated privileges without requiring user interaction or explicit authentication, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users may have varying levels of system access.
This vulnerability falls under the CWE-269 privilege escalation category and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which describes the exploitation of vulnerabilities to gain higher privileges. The technical implementation involves Internet Explorer's improper validation of security contexts when processing web content, particularly during transitions between different integrity levels. When users visit malicious websites, the browser fails to properly enforce security boundaries, allowing attackers to manipulate the integrity level of processes running in the browser context. This creates a pathway for attackers to execute arbitrary code with medium integrity privileges, which can then be leveraged to perform further attacks or access restricted system resources.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-6051 extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it provides attackers with a foothold that can be used to establish persistent access to target systems. In enterprise environments where Internet Explorer is commonly used for business applications, this vulnerability can be exploited to compromise user sessions and potentially escalate to domain-level privileges through additional attack vectors. The remote nature of the exploit means that attackers can leverage this vulnerability from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access to the target system, making it particularly attractive for large-scale attacks. Organizations running these affected browser versions face significant risk of unauthorized access, data exfiltration, and potential system compromise.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-6051 should include immediate deployment of Microsoft security updates and patches that address the integrity level transition flaw in Internet Explorer. System administrators should implement browser hardening measures such as disabling unnecessary browser features, implementing strict content security policies, and using enhanced security configurations for Internet Explorer. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network segmentation to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation and deploy intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious network activity that may indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify systems running affected browser versions and ensure timely patch deployment across all endpoints. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of maintaining current security practices and keeping all browser components updated to protect against similar privilege escalation attacks that may target other browser security mechanisms.