CVE-2016-7241 in Internet Explorer
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."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/27/2025
Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 and Microsoft Edge browsers contain a critical memory corruption vulnerability that enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service conditions through maliciously crafted web content. This vulnerability represents a significant security flaw in the browser's memory management systems, where improper handling of specific web elements leads to unpredictable memory state corruption. The flaw affects both browser engines and demonstrates the complexity of modern web browser security architectures where memory corruption vulnerabilities can provide attackers with complete system compromise capabilities.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper memory handling during web page rendering processes, particularly when processing specific combinations of HTML elements and JavaScript code. Attackers can craft web pages that trigger memory corruption through buffer overflows or use-after-free conditions within the browser's memory management subsystems. These conditions occur when the browser attempts to access memory locations that have already been freed or when data exceeds allocated buffer boundaries. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of web rendering and memory management, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through standard web browsing activities without requiring specialized attack vectors.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to encompass full system compromise capabilities. Remote attackers can leverage this memory corruption to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected browser process, potentially leading to complete system takeover. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website, making it particularly dangerous in phishing campaigns or drive-by download scenarios. Security analysts have identified this flaw as a prime candidate for zero-day exploitation in targeted attacks, as it can be reliably triggered through standard web browsing activities and provides attackers with extensive control over affected systems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate patch deployment through Microsoft's regular security updates, as well as browser hardening measures such as enabling enhanced protection modes and restricting access to potentially malicious content. Organizations should implement network-level protections including web application firewalls and content filtering systems to prevent access to known malicious domains. 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 in browser memory corruption scenarios. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to multiple ATT&CK tactics including initial access through malicious websites and execution through code injection techniques, making it a critical target for defensive measures across enterprise security architectures.