External risk intelligence

Internet Explorer Code Execution Vulnerability.

CVE advisoryKnown Exploit

CVE-2012-4792

The vulnerability affects a web browser, which is an application designed to actively navigate and interact with the public internet. While the attack requires user interaction with a crafted website, the browser's primary function is to reach out to external, internet-facing resources, making the exposure of the vulnerable component to untrusted web content a standard deployment expectation.

Use After Free

Microsoft Internet Explorer

678

Halo Surface Signal: 4 out of 5 — likely to be public-facing.

External exposure likelihood

Horizon Alert

Summary of the vulnerability and why it matters

Microsoft Internet Explorer contains a use-after-free vulnerability that could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code. This flaw occurs when a website triggers access to an improperly allocated or deleted object. This could lead to significant business risk for organizations using the affected software.

Microsoft Internet Explorer
Object memory management flaw
Arbitrary code execution

Attack Path

How an attacker could exploit the issue

Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 6 through 8 are susceptible to a use-after-free vulnerability. Attackers can exploit this by directing users to a malicious website. This action triggers an attempt to access an object that has been improperly allocated or deleted, potentially leading to the execution of arbitrary code.

Affected systems exposed to the internet.
Attacker directs user to crafted website.
Triggered object access allows code execution.

Live Threat

Current exploitation, exposure, and threat context

A use-after-free vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code by directing users to a malicious website. This issue arises from improper handling of an object that has been freed or not properly allocated. The exploitation of this vulnerability has been observed in real-world attacks.

Attackers need moderate skill.
Requires user interaction with a malicious site.
Business risk is high; treat as urgent.

Operational Fix

Recommended remediation, mitigation, and detection steps

This vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer allows for remote code execution. Attackers can exploit this by directing users to a malicious website. The vulnerability is related to the use of an object after it has been deallocated. This poses a significant risk to organizations still using affected versions of Internet Explorer.

Identify Internet Explorer installations.
Isolate affected systems or remove Internet Explorer.
Validate vendor fixes or workarounds.

Supplementary metadata

CVSS vector

Validate whether this threat affects your internet-facing exposure.

Halo Threat Intelligence helps prioritize remediation with Halo Surface Signal and H/A/L/O context. Start exposure validation with a free external attack surface trial.

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Frequently asked questions

What is Microsoft Internet Explorer and what was it used for?

Microsoft Internet Explorer was a graphical web browser used for accessing information on the World Wide Web. It allowed users to navigate websites, view multimedia content, and interact with online services. This vulnerability specifically affected versions 6 through 8 of the browser.

What is a use-after-free vulnerability like in CVE-2012-4792?

CVE-2012-4792 is a use-after-free vulnerability. This means the software tries to use a piece of memory after it has been freed or deleted, which can lead to unpredictable behavior and potentially allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code by confusing the program's memory management.

How does an attacker trigger this Internet Explorer vulnerability?

An attacker can trigger this vulnerability by luring a user to visit a specially crafted website. The website would then cause Internet Explorer to attempt to access an object in memory that was either not properly allocated or has already been deallocated, leading to the vulnerability being exploited.

Who should be concerned about this Internet Explorer flaw?

Organizations should be concerned if they have systems with Internet Explorer versions 6 through 8 that are exposed to the internet. The Halo Surface Signal indicates this is an external threat, meaning internet-facing systems are at risk because browsers commonly interact with external websites.

What is the first step for someone running affected Internet Explorer versions?

The first step is to identify all installations of Internet Explorer versions 6 through 8 within your environment. Since these versions are very old and no longer supported, the primary response is to isolate any affected systems or, preferably, remove Internet Explorer entirely to eliminate the risk.

References

Written by Nicholas Merritt

Nicholas Merritt is VP of Security Solutions at Halo Security. With more than 25 years across application security, vulnerability prioritization, and offensive security, he helps teams translate threat data into practical exposure validation and remediation focus. He authors Halo Threat Intelligence CVE advisories using Halo Surface Signal and H/A/L/O context to prioritize internet-facing risk.