External risk intelligence

Internet Explorer Memory Corruption Vulnerability

CVE advisoryKnown Exploit

CVE-2015-2425

A crafted website can cause memory corruption in Internet Explorer 11, allowing attackers to execute code or cause a denial of service on affected systems. This impacts system availability and data integrity, posing a risk to business operations.

4Halo Surface Signal

Out-of-bounds Write

Microsoft Internet Explorer

11

External exposure likelihood

Halo Surface Signal score for CVE-2015-2425

The vulnerability affects Internet Explorer, a web browser designed to interact with untrusted content from the public internet. As a client-side application that routinely processes external web traffic, it represents a commonly exposed surface that is reachable whenever a user navigates to a malicious or compromised website.

Horizon Alert

Summary of the vulnerability and why it matters

Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 contains a memory corruption vulnerability. This flaw can be triggered when an organization's systems encounter a specially crafted website. Exploitation could lead to attackers executing arbitrary code or causing a denial of service, impacting system availability and data integrity.

  • Vulnerable component: Internet Explorer 11
  • Core weakness: Memory corruption
  • Main business impact: Code execution or denial of service

Attack Path

How an attacker could exploit the issue

A crafted website can cause memory corruption in Internet Explorer 11. This allows an attacker to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service on the affected system. The vulnerability is exploitable through external networks, meaning an attacker could leverage it without needing prior access to the target organization's systems.

  • Internet Explorer 11 must be exposed externally.
  • Attacker directs user to a malicious website.
  • Triggering website memory corruption.
  • Resulting in code execution or DoS.

Live Threat

Current exploitation, exposure, and threat context

This vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service on affected systems. Exploitation could lead to the compromise of sensitive data and disruption of business operations. Organizations should prioritize addressing this issue to mitigate potential risks.

  • Attackers with low skill can exploit.
  • Requires access to a crafted website.
  • High business risk; treat as urgent.

Priority actions

Operational Fix

Recommended remediation, mitigation, and detection steps

This vulnerability impacts Microsoft Internet Explorer 11, potentially allowing remote attackers to execute code or cause a denial of service through memory corruption. Organizations should prioritize identifying all instances of this software and take immediate steps to mitigate the associated business risks. Addressing this vulnerability is crucial for maintaining system integrity and preventing unauthorized access.

  • Identify exposed Internet Explorer assets.
  • Reduce exposure or isolate risk.
  • Apply vendor fix, verify, and monitor.

Frequently asked questions

What is Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 and what is it used for?

Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 is a web browser that allows users to access and interact with websites on the internet. It was a common tool for browsing the web, viewing online content, and engaging with web-based applications.

What type of weakness does CVE-2015-2425 describe for Internet Explorer 11?

CVE-2015-2425 describes a memory corruption vulnerability. This is a type of weakness where a program incorrectly handles memory, potentially allowing an attacker to overwrite or access unintended data.

How could CVE-2015-2425 be triggered by an attacker?

An attacker could trigger this vulnerability by creating a specially crafted website. If a user visits this malicious website using an affected version of Internet Explorer, it could lead to memory corruption.

Who should be concerned about this Internet Explorer vulnerability?

Organizations with Internet Explorer 11 systems that are accessible from the internet should be concerned. This is because the vulnerability can be exploited by navigating to a malicious website, making it a potential external threat.

What are the first steps to address this Internet Explorer issue?

The first steps involve identifying all systems running Internet Explorer 11 that are exposed externally. Then, consider reducing the exposure of these systems or isolating them if possible while planning to apply any available vendor updates.

References