CVE-2015-6143 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Internet Explorer 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-2015-6140, CVE-2015-6142, CVE-2015-6153, CVE-2015-6158, CVE-2015-6159, and CVE-2015-6160.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/28/2022
This vulnerability represents a critical memory corruption flaw in Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 that enables remote code execution through malicious web content. The issue stems from improper handling of memory structures during web page rendering processes, specifically when processing certain JavaScript objects and DOM elements. Attackers can craft specially designed web pages that trigger buffer overflows or use-after-free conditions within IE's memory management subsystem, leading to arbitrary code execution or system crashes.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves exploiting IE's JavaScript engine JScript9 or Chakra, where memory corruption occurs during object manipulation and garbage collection processes. When a victim visits a malicious website containing crafted JavaScript code, the browser's memory management fails to properly validate object references, creating opportunities for attackers to overwrite critical memory locations. This memory corruption can be leveraged to execute malicious payloads with the privileges of the current user, potentially leading to full system compromise. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires no user interaction beyond visiting the malicious webpage, making it particularly dangerous for targeted attacks.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability affects organizations running Internet Explorer 11 on Windows systems, with particular risk to enterprise environments where IE remains the default browser. The exploitability of this vulnerability is enhanced by the fact that it can be delivered through standard web browsing activities without requiring additional attack vectors. Security professionals must consider that this flaw can be combined with other techniques to create more sophisticated attack chains, potentially bypassing standard security controls. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read) and CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write) categories, demonstrating the fundamental memory safety issues that plague modern web browsers.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including disabling Internet Explorer 11 or applying Microsoft's security patches as soon as they become available. Browser isolation techniques and network segmentation can help reduce the attack surface while permanent fixes are deployed. Security teams should monitor for indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability, particularly unusual memory access patterns or process behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1203 (Exploitation for Client Execution) and T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) techniques, highlighting the need for comprehensive endpoint detection and response capabilities to identify and block exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and user awareness training should emphasize the dangers of visiting untrusted websites, as this vulnerability demonstrates how seemingly benign web browsing can lead to complete system compromise through memory corruption exploits.