CVE-2015-6076 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 through 11 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via a crafted web site, aka "Internet Explorer Memory Corruption Vulnerability," a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-6066, CVE-2015-6070, CVE-2015-6071, CVE-2015-6074, and CVE-2015-6087.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/27/2022
This vulnerability represents a critical memory corruption flaw in Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 7 through 11 that enables remote code execution through malicious web content. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of memory operations when processing specially crafted web pages, creating opportunities for attackers to inject and execute arbitrary code on affected systems. Security researchers identified this issue as part of a broader class of vulnerabilities affecting internet browsers, with distinct characteristics from related CVE entries such as CVE-2015-6066 and CVE-2015-6070 that involve different exploitation vectors. The memory corruption occurs during the processing of web content, specifically when Internet Explorer attempts to manage memory allocation and deallocation for dynamic web elements, creating potential for attackers to manipulate memory structures through crafted input. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write operations, both of which are common in browser memory management flaws. The attack surface is extensive given that Internet Explorer was widely deployed across enterprise environments, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous for organizations with older systems. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter, T1059.007 for Visual Basic, and T1059.008 for PowerShell, as attackers could leverage the memory corruption to execute malicious scripts or commands. The operational impact extends beyond simple exploitation to include potential denial of service scenarios where system resources become corrupted or unavailable, affecting user productivity and system stability. Organizations using affected IE versions faced significant risk as the vulnerability could be exploited through drive-by downloads or malicious websites without user interaction, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments. The vulnerability's exploitation typically involves crafting web pages with malformed data structures that trigger memory corruption when processed by the browser engine. Security analysts noted that this flaw was particularly concerning because it affected multiple versions of Internet Explorer simultaneously, requiring broad patching efforts across organizations. The memory corruption manifests when the browser's rendering engine encounters unexpected data patterns that cause it to improperly allocate or free memory segments, potentially leading to code execution at the privilege level of the browser process. This vulnerability demonstrates the complexity of modern browser security and the challenges in maintaining memory safety in complex software environments where multiple components interact dynamically with user-provided content.
The exploitation of CVE-2015-6076 required attackers to construct web pages containing specific memory manipulation patterns that would trigger the underlying memory corruption. The vulnerability's impact was amplified by the fact that Internet Explorer was often the default browser on Windows systems, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to compromise enterprise networks. Security researchers observed that the memory corruption occurred in the JavaScript engine or related rendering components where memory management was insufficiently validated. This type of vulnerability is classified under the broader category of heap-based buffer overflows, which are particularly dangerous because they can be used to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the compromised process. The attack vectors typically involved social engineering campaigns where users were directed to malicious websites through phishing emails or compromised web portals. Organizations needed to implement immediate mitigations including browser updates, security patches, and network-based protections to prevent exploitation. The vulnerability's classification under the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures system highlighted its severity and the need for coordinated response efforts across the security community. Microsoft's response included releasing security updates that addressed the memory corruption issues in affected IE versions, though the patching process required careful consideration of compatibility issues in enterprise environments. The vulnerability's characteristics made it particularly suitable for zero-day exploitation where attackers could leverage the memory corruption to gain unauthorized access to systems. Security professionals recommended immediate patch deployment and network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. The memory corruption vulnerability demonstrated the importance of proper input validation and memory management in browser security architectures, influencing subsequent security design decisions in web browsers. This vulnerability underscored the need for continuous security assessment and the importance of maintaining updated security measures across all browser components. The exploitation techniques required sophisticated understanding of browser internals and memory management, making it a significant concern for organizations that could not immediately deploy security updates. Network administrators needed to implement additional protective measures including web application firewalls and content filtering solutions to mitigate the risk of exploitation. The vulnerability's resolution required coordinated efforts between Microsoft security teams and enterprise security operations to ensure comprehensive protection across affected systems.