CVE-2016-0005 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 through 11 allows remote attackers to bypass the Same Origin Policy via unspecified vectors, aka "Internet Explorer Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/03/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-0005 represents a critical security flaw in Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 9 through 11 that fundamentally undermines the browser's core security architecture. This issue enables remote attackers to circumvent the Same Origin Policy, a fundamental web security mechanism that prevents malicious code from accessing resources across different domains. The vulnerability operates through unspecified vectors that exploit the browser's handling of cross-origin requests and resource access controls. The Same Origin Policy serves as the primary defense against cross-site scripting attacks and data theft, making its bypass a severe compromise of web security boundaries. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-284 access control weakness category, specifically addressing insufficient access control mechanisms within web browsers.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability allows attackers to perform elevation of privilege operations by manipulating how Internet Explorer processes and validates cross-origin requests. When an attacker successfully exploits this flaw, they can execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the victim's browser session, potentially gaining access to sensitive data, cookies, and other browser resources that should be restricted to the same origin. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data access, as it can enable complete browser compromise and persistence within the victim's system. Attackers can leverage this weakness to perform actions such as reading files from different domains, injecting malicious content into web pages, or accessing authentication tokens that would normally be protected by cross-origin restrictions. This vulnerability represents a significant threat to enterprise environments where users may be browsing untrusted websites that could exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized access to sensitive corporate data.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-0005 is substantial across multiple threat scenarios and attack vectors. Organizations running affected Internet Explorer versions face increased risk of data breaches, credential theft, and persistent threats that can remain undetected for extended periods. The vulnerability's remote exploitation capability means that attackers can target users from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access to the target system. This weakness particularly affects enterprises that have not fully migrated away from legacy Internet Explorer versions, as these browsers continue to be used in corporate environments despite known security deficiencies. The vulnerability's exploitation can lead to complete session hijacking, allowing attackers to impersonate legitimate users and access restricted resources. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1059 for command execution and T1071 for application layer protocol usage, as attackers can leverage the compromised browser to execute further malicious activities. Organizations must implement comprehensive mitigation strategies including immediate patch deployment, browser hardening, and network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-0005 should prioritize immediate patch deployment through Microsoft's security updates, as the vulnerability has been fully addressed through official Microsoft patches. Organizations should also consider implementing browser isolation techniques and network segmentation to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. Security controls should include monitoring for unusual cross-origin requests and implementing strict content security policies that further restrict browser capabilities. Given the vulnerability's nature as an elevation of privilege issue, organizations should also focus on privilege separation and least-privilege principles to minimize the potential damage from successful attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date browser software and implementing robust security monitoring to detect and respond to exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider transitioning away from legacy Internet Explorer versions to modern browsers that have better security track records and more frequent security updates. The incident highlights the need for continuous security assessments and vulnerability management programs to identify and address similar weaknesses before they can be exploited by malicious actors.