CVE-2016-3261 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information via a crafted web site, aka "Internet Explorer Information Disclosure Vulnerability."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/01/2022
The CVE-2016-3261 vulnerability represents a critical information disclosure flaw in Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 that enables remote attackers to access sensitive system information through malicious web content. This vulnerability falls under the broader category of information disclosure weaknesses that can significantly compromise user privacy and system security. The flaw specifically affects the rendering engine of Internet Explorer 11, which processes web content and manages memory operations during browser execution. Security researchers identified that when the browser encounters specially crafted web pages, it fails to properly validate certain memory access operations, creating opportunities for attackers to extract confidential data from the system's memory space.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of memory management within the browser's JavaScript engine and rendering components. When Internet Explorer 11 processes certain malformed web content, it does not adequately sanitize memory access patterns, allowing attackers to potentially read data from adjacent memory locations that should remain protected. This type of vulnerability is classified as a memory corruption issue that can lead to information disclosure, aligning with CWE-200 which addresses "Information Exposure" and CWE-125 which covers "Out-of-bounds Read" conditions. The flaw operates at the application layer of the OSI model, specifically within the browser's execution environment where web content is interpreted and rendered.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-3261 extends beyond simple data exposure, as it can potentially enable more sophisticated attacks when combined with other vulnerabilities. Attackers can leverage this information disclosure to gather system-specific details such as memory addresses, user credentials, or other sensitive data that could be used in subsequent exploitation attempts. This vulnerability particularly affects users who browse the internet without proper security measures, as it requires no user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website. The attack vector operates through standard web browsing activities, making it difficult to detect and prevent through traditional network monitoring approaches. Organizations using Internet Explorer 11 in enterprise environments face significant risk as this vulnerability can be exploited to gain insights into system configurations and user activities, potentially leading to privilege escalation or further compromise of network resources.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-3261 primarily focus on immediate patch deployment and browser security hardening. Microsoft released security updates that addressed the underlying memory management issues in Internet Explorer 11, requiring organizations to apply these patches promptly to eliminate the vulnerability. Additionally, security professionals should implement browser security policies that restrict access to potentially malicious websites, employ web application firewalls, and utilize sandboxing techniques to limit the potential damage from exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques such as T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation, as it provides initial access that can be leveraged for further compromise. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous web traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should include checks for unpatched Internet Explorer installations to ensure comprehensive protection against this and similar information disclosure vulnerabilities.