CVE-2016-3382 in Edge
Summary
by MITRE
The scripting engines in Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 through 11 and Microsoft Edge allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via a crafted web site, as demonstrated by the Chakra JavaScript engine, aka "Scripting Engine Memory Corruption Vulnerability."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/23/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-3382 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within the scripting engines of Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 9 through 11 and Microsoft Edge browsers. This vulnerability specifically affects the Chakra JavaScript engine which serves as the core execution environment for JavaScript code in these browsers. The flaw enables remote attackers to exploit memory corruption issues through maliciously crafted web pages, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or denial of service conditions. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of memory allocation and deallocation within the JavaScript engine's memory management subsystem, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate memory structures and execute malicious payloads.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the Chakra JavaScript engine processes specially crafted JavaScript code that triggers memory corruption during normal execution flows. Attackers can construct web pages containing malicious JavaScript that, when executed by the vulnerable browser, causes the engine to improperly manage memory resources. This memory corruption can manifest as buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or other memory management errors that allow attackers to overwrite critical memory locations or manipulate program execution flow. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the scripting engine level, meaning successful exploitation can bypass many traditional security mechanisms and directly compromise the browser's execution environment.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-3382 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to encompass full system compromise capabilities. When successfully exploited, this vulnerability can enable attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the compromised browser process, potentially leading to complete system takeover. The attack surface is extensive since Internet Explorer and Edge are widely deployed across enterprise environments, making this vulnerability particularly attractive to threat actors seeking broad exploitation capabilities. Organizations running affected versions of these browsers face significant risk of data breaches, lateral movement within networks, and persistent threat presence. The vulnerability's exploitation typically requires user interaction through visiting malicious websites, making social engineering attacks particularly effective in leveraging this flaw.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigations including applying Microsoft's security patches and updates, configuring browser security settings to restrict potentially dangerous JavaScript operations, and implementing network-based protections such as web application firewalls. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write conditions, both of which are common memory corruption patterns. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to the ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for JavaScript execution and T1203 for exploitation of web applications. Organizations should also consider implementing browser isolation techniques, deploying sandboxing solutions, and conducting regular vulnerability assessments to identify and remediate similar memory corruption vulnerabilities that may exist in their browser environments.