CVE-2017-0158 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when Microsoft Windows running on Windows 10, Windows 10 1511, Windows 8.1 Windows RT 8.1, and Windows Server 2012 R2 fails to properly sanitize handles in memory, aka "Scripting Engine Memory Corruption Vulnerability."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/28/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-0158 represents a critical elevation of privilege flaw within Microsoft Windows operating systems, affecting versions including Windows 10, Windows 10 1511, Windows 8.1, Windows RT 8.1, and Windows Server 2012 R2. This security weakness stems from inadequate handle sanitization in memory management processes, creating a pathway for malicious actors to escalate their privileges within the system. The vulnerability specifically targets the scripting engine component of Windows, which is responsible for executing various script-based operations and interactions within the operating environment. The improper handling of memory handles creates a memory corruption scenario that can be exploited by attackers to gain higher-level system access than initially granted.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through manipulation of memory handles within the scripting engine's memory space, where insufficient sanitization allows for memory corruption conditions to be created. When Windows processes script execution requests, it maintains handles to various memory resources that should be properly validated and sanitized before being reused or released. The flaw enables attackers to craft malicious inputs that cause these handles to be improperly managed, leading to memory corruption that can be leveraged for privilege escalation. This memory corruption vulnerability operates at the kernel level, making it particularly dangerous as it can potentially allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code with system-level privileges, effectively bypassing standard user access controls and security boundaries. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-122, which describes improper handling of memory allocation and deallocation, and represents a classic case of memory safety issues that can lead to privilege escalation.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-0158 extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it can enable attackers to establish persistent access to compromised systems and potentially move laterally within network environments. Once an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, they can execute malicious code with elevated privileges, potentially gaining access to sensitive system files, user credentials, and network resources. The vulnerability's presence in multiple Windows versions creates a widespread attack surface, particularly affecting enterprise environments where these operating systems are commonly deployed. Organizations running affected systems face significant risk of data breaches, system compromise, and potential full network infiltration, as the elevated privileges gained through exploitation can be used to disable security controls, install backdoors, or exfiltrate sensitive information. The vulnerability's exploitation aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation," and T1059, which covers "Command and Scripting Interpreter," demonstrating how the flaw can be weaponized to achieve broader operational goals.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-0158 should prioritize immediate patch deployment through Microsoft's security updates, as the vulnerability requires specific fixes from the vendor to address the underlying memory handling issues. Organizations must ensure comprehensive testing of patches in their environments before deployment to prevent potential service disruptions, while also implementing additional security controls such as application whitelisting, mandatory access controls, and network segmentation to limit potential exploitation impact. System administrators should monitor for signs of exploitation attempts through security event logs and endpoint detection systems, paying particular attention to unusual process creation patterns or memory-related anomalies that might indicate attempted exploitation of this vulnerability. The remediation process should also include regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing to identify systems that may not have received the necessary updates, as well as implementing security awareness training for personnel who might inadvertently trigger exploitation through social engineering or phishing attacks that could leverage this vulnerability.