CVE-2016-0102 in Edge
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Internet Explorer 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 "Microsoft Browser Memory Corruption Vulnerability," a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-0103, CVE-2016-0106, CVE-2016-0108, CVE-2016-0109, and CVE-2016-0114.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/09/2022
This vulnerability represents a critical memory corruption flaw affecting Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 and Microsoft Edge browsers, demonstrating the persistent challenges in web browser security architecture. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of memory operations when processing specially crafted web content, creating opportunities for remote code execution or denial of service conditions. Attackers can exploit this weakness by hosting malicious web pages that trigger memory corruption during browser rendering or script execution processes, potentially allowing them to gain unauthorized system access or disrupt normal browser operations.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with common software security weaknesses categorized under CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write operations. These memory corruption issues typically arise from inadequate input validation and memory management practices within browser rendering engines. The flaw manifests when the browser's JavaScript engine or HTML parser encounters malformed data structures that cause memory allocation errors, leading to unpredictable behavior that attackers can leverage for malicious purposes.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to organizations relying on affected browsers, as it enables attackers to execute arbitrary code on target systems without requiring user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website. The exploitability characteristics make it particularly dangerous in targeted attacks where adversaries can craft specific web content to trigger the memory corruption. The vulnerability's classification as a remote code execution flaw means that successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise, data theft, or persistence mechanisms within the compromised environment.
The impact extends beyond individual user systems to enterprise environments where browser-based attacks often serve as initial access vectors for broader security breaches. Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in relation to MITRE ATT&CK framework's T1203 technique for legitimate credentials and T1059 command and script interpreter categories, as successful exploitation typically enables attackers to execute malicious commands and establish persistent access. Organizations must prioritize patch management and browser hardening strategies to mitigate exposure, particularly given the vulnerability's potential for privilege escalation and lateral movement within compromised networks.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate deployment of Microsoft security patches, implementation of browser security features such as address space layout randomization and data execution prevention, and network-level protections such as web application firewalls. Security teams should also consider browser isolation techniques and user education programs to reduce exposure risk, while monitoring for indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability in their network environments. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining current security patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies to protect against sophisticated browser-based attacks.