External risk intelligence

Internet Explorer Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability.

CVE advisoryKnown Exploit

CVE-2017-0210

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Internet Explorer that could allow an attacker to access and inject information between different domains. This poses a business risk of unauthorized data access and manipulation for affected organizations.

1Halo Surface Signal

Microsoft Internet Explorer

1011

External exposure likelihood

Halo Surface Signal score for CVE-2017-0210

This vulnerability affects Internet Explorer, which is a client-side web browser application. The attack surface relies on a user interacting with malicious content within the browser, rather than a network service or infrastructure that is exposed to the internet for remote access or public connectivity.

Horizon Alert

Summary of the vulnerability and why it matters

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists within Internet Explorer. This flaw could allow an attacker to bypass security restrictions, enabling the transfer of sensitive information between different domains. Such an exploit could lead to unauthorized access and manipulation of data within affected systems.

  • Internet Explorer cross-domain policies
  • Information access and injection
  • Data compromise and unauthorized access

Attack Path

How an attacker could exploit the issue

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when Internet Explorer incorrectly handles cross-domain policies. This could allow an attacker to access and inject information between different domains. The attacker exploits a flaw in how the browser enforces security boundaries between websites. This can lead to unauthorized access and modification of data.

  • Publicly accessible Internet Explorer browser.
  • Malicious website with specially crafted content.
  • User visits the website, leading to data access and injection.

Live Threat

Current exploitation, exposure, and threat context

This vulnerability could allow an attacker to elevate privileges by exploiting how Internet Explorer handles cross-domain policies. Successful exploitation could lead to the attacker accessing information from one domain and injecting it into another. The potential for significant data compromise and unauthorized actions presents a considerable business risk.

  • Attacker skill level: High
  • Required access: Network and user interaction
  • Business risk or urgency: High

Priority actions

Operational Fix

Recommended remediation, mitigation, and detection steps

An elevation of privilege vulnerability in Internet Explorer could allow an attacker to access information across domains. This could lead to unauthorized data access and manipulation. The exploitation vector involves the browser's handling of cross-domain policies.

  • Identify affected Internet Explorer assets.
  • Limit browser access or isolate networks.
  • Apply vendor security updates and verify.

Frequently asked questions

What is Internet Explorer and how is it used?

Internet Explorer was a series of web browsers developed by Microsoft. It was widely used for browsing websites, accessing online services, and interacting with web-based applications on Windows operating systems.

What kind of vulnerability is CVE-2017-0210 in Internet Explorer?

CVE-2017-0210 is an elevation of privilege vulnerability. This means a flaw could allow an attacker to gain higher access levels than they are normally permitted on a system.

How could CVE-2017-0210 be exploited in Internet Explorer?

An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by crafting specific web content. If a user visits a malicious site with this content, the browser might incorrectly handle cross-domain policies, potentially allowing information to be accessed from one domain and injected into another.

What is the potential impact of this Internet Explorer vulnerability?

The vulnerability could allow an attacker to bypass security restrictions, leading to unauthorized access and manipulation of data across different domains. This could result in significant data compromise and unauthorized actions.

What actions can be taken regarding CVE-2017-0210?

To address this vulnerability, affected Internet Explorer assets should be identified. It may be advisable to limit browser access or isolate networks, and to apply security updates provided by the vendor.

References