CVE-2016-3248 in Edge
Summary
by MITRE
The Microsoft (1) JScript 9, (2) VBScript, and (3) Chakra JavaScript engines, as used in Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 through 11, Microsoft Edge, and other products, allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via a crafted web site, aka "Scripting Engine Memory Corruption Vulnerability," a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-3259.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/01/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-3248 represents a critical memory corruption flaw affecting multiple Microsoft scripting engines including JScript 9, VBScript, and the Chakra JavaScript engine. This vulnerability specifically impacts Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 9 through 11, Microsoft Edge, and other affected products that utilize these scripting engines for web content execution. The flaw manifests through crafted web sites that can trigger arbitrary code execution or denial of service conditions, making it a significant threat vector in web-based attack scenarios. The vulnerability operates at the core level of Microsoft's scripting engine architecture, where improper memory handling allows attackers to manipulate memory structures and execute malicious code remotely.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves memory corruption within the scripting engine's memory management systems, which can be exploited through carefully crafted JavaScript or VBScript code embedded in malicious web pages. When a user visits an affected website, the malicious script triggers a memory corruption condition that can be leveraged to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the compromised user. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-119 category of "Improper Access to Memory Location" and represents a classic heap-based buffer overflow scenario. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be triggered through standard web browsing activities without requiring any special user interaction beyond visiting a malicious site, making it highly prevalent in real-world attack scenarios.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates severe security implications for organizations relying on Microsoft browsers and web applications. The ability to execute arbitrary code remotely means that attackers can gain full control of affected systems, potentially leading to data breaches, privilege escalation, and persistence mechanisms. The vulnerability affects a wide range of Microsoft products including Internet Explorer 9 through 11 and Microsoft Edge, making it particularly concerning for enterprise environments where legacy browser support is maintained. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability through various delivery mechanisms including phishing campaigns, compromised websites, and drive-by downloads, with the potential for widespread exploitation across organizations of all sizes.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-3248 primarily focus on applying Microsoft's security updates and patches released through their regular security bulletins. Organizations should prioritize immediate deployment of the relevant security patches to address the memory corruption issues in the affected scripting engines. Additional mitigations include implementing browser security features such as Enhanced Protected Mode in Internet Explorer, enabling Data Execution Prevention, and utilizing application whitelisting solutions to restrict execution of potentially malicious code. Security teams should also consider implementing network-based protections such as web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification under the ATT&CK framework as part of the "Exploitation for Client Execution" tactic highlights the importance of defending against client-side exploitation techniques. Organizations should also conduct regular security assessments to identify and remediate any unpatched systems that may be vulnerable to this and similar scripting engine vulnerabilities, as these types of memory corruption flaws often represent the most common attack vectors in enterprise security incidents.