CVE-2016-0109 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-2016-0102, CVE-2016-0103, CVE-2016-0106, CVE-2016-0108, and CVE-2016-0114.
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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, classified under CWE-125 as out-of-bounds read conditions that can lead to arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of memory operations when processing specially crafted web content, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate browser memory structures and execute malicious code remotely. The flaw specifically manifests during the parsing and rendering of web elements, where the browsers fail to properly validate memory boundaries, allowing attackers to corrupt memory regions and potentially gain full system control.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves crafting malicious web pages that trigger specific memory access patterns which cause the browser to write beyond allocated memory buffers or read invalid memory locations. This type of memory corruption vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be leveraged to bypass modern security mitigations such as address space layout randomization and data execution prevention. Attackers typically construct web pages containing malformed JavaScript or HTML elements that, when rendered by the vulnerable browsers, cause memory corruption that can be exploited to execute shellcode or other malicious payloads.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability affects a broad user base since Internet Explorer 11 and Microsoft Edge were widely deployed across enterprise environments and consumer systems. The remote exploitation capability means that users could be compromised simply by visiting malicious websites, making this a significant threat vector for targeted attacks and mass exploitation campaigns. Organizations running these browsers face potential data breaches, system compromise, and complete loss of control over affected systems. The vulnerability's classification as a remote code execution flaw places it within the ATT&CK framework under T1203 - Exploitation for Client Execution, emphasizing the threat to endpoint security and the need for immediate remediation.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily involve applying the security patches released by Microsoft as part of their regular update cycle. Organizations should prioritize patch deployment across all affected systems and consider implementing additional protective measures such as enhanced browser sandboxing, network-based intrusion detection systems, and web application firewalls to detect and block exploitation attempts. Security teams should also monitor for indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability, including unusual memory access patterns or attempts to execute code in browser processes, and implement network segmentation to limit the potential lateral movement of attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability.