CVE-2018-8242 in Internet Explorer
Summary
by MITRE
A remote code execution vulnerability exists in the way that the scripting engine handles objects in memory in Internet Explorer, aka "Scripting Engine Memory Corruption Vulnerability." This affects Internet Explorer 9, Internet Explorer 11, Internet Explorer 10. This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2018-8283, CVE-2018-8287, CVE-2018-8288, CVE-2018-8291, CVE-2018-8296, CVE-2018-8298.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/05/2023
This vulnerability represents a critical memory corruption flaw in Microsoft Internet Explorer's scripting engine that enables remote code execution when processing specially crafted web content. The issue manifests when the scripting engine improperly handles object references in memory, creating conditions where malicious code can be injected and executed without user interaction. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of Internet Explorer including IE9, IE10, and IE11, making it particularly dangerous given the widespread deployment of these browsers in enterprise environments. The flaw operates at a fundamental level within the browser's memory management system, specifically targeting how JavaScript objects are allocated, manipulated, and deallocated in the browser's memory space.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions that can lead to memory corruption and arbitrary code execution. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious web pages that trigger specific memory access patterns within Internet Explorer's JavaScript engine. When the browser processes these crafted objects, the memory corruption allows attackers to overwrite critical memory locations, potentially redirecting execution flow to malicious payloads. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with heap-based buffer overflows and memory management errors that have been commonly exploited in browser security attacks. The attack vector requires only a user to visit a malicious website, making it particularly dangerous for targeted attacks and phishing campaigns.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple exploitation as it represents a significant threat to enterprise security infrastructure. Organizations using affected versions of Internet Explorer face potential compromise of entire networks through single-user exploitation, as attackers can leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent access, escalate privileges, and move laterally within network environments. The remote code execution capability means that attackers can install malware, steal sensitive data, or completely compromise affected systems without requiring physical access or user interaction beyond visiting a malicious webpage. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1203, which covers exploitation of remote services, and T1059, covering command and script interpreter usage, as attackers can leverage the compromised browser to execute arbitrary commands on target systems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected Internet Explorer versions with Microsoft security updates, as well as implementing network-level protections such as web application firewalls and content filtering solutions. Organizations should consider disabling Internet Explorer's scripting capabilities where possible, implementing strict browser security policies, and utilizing security software that can detect and block malicious JavaScript patterns. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies, as this flaw demonstrates how memory corruption vulnerabilities in widely-used software components can provide attackers with powerful exploitation capabilities. Additionally, organizations should consider migrating away from legacy browser versions to modern secure browsers that have better memory protection mechanisms and more frequent security updates.