External risk intelligence

Internet Explorer Scripting Engine Memory Corruption Vulnerability

CVE advisoryKnown Exploit

CVE-2020-0674

A scripting engine memory corruption vulnerability in Internet Explorer can allow attackers to execute code. This impacts organizations using the browser, posing a risk of unauthorized access and operational disruption. Exploitation requires user interaction with a malicious website.

3Halo Surface Signal

Use After Free

Microsoft Internet Explorer

91011

External exposure likelihood

Halo Surface Signal score for CVE-2020-0674

This vulnerability affects a web browser scripting engine. While browsers are designed to access internet content, exploitation typically requires a user to navigate to a specifically crafted, malicious website. It is not an automatically reachable edge service, gateway, or public-facing server-side endpoint, but rather a client-side application dependent on user interaction.

Horizon Alert

Summary of the vulnerability and why it matters

The scripting engine in Internet Explorer contains a memory corruption vulnerability. This flaw occurs when the engine handles objects in memory, potentially allowing attackers to execute code on a user's system. The vulnerability affects organizations that use Internet Explorer, potentially leading to unauthorized access and disruption of operations.

  • Vulnerable component: Internet Explorer scripting engine
  • Core weakness: Memory object handling flaw
  • Main business impact: Code execution on user systems

Attack Path

How an attacker could exploit the issue

A vulnerability in Internet Explorer's scripting engine could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code. This occurs when the engine incorrectly handles objects in memory, leading to memory corruption. An attacker could leverage this by tricking a user into visiting a malicious website.

  • The system is exposed via Internet Explorer.
  • An attacker provides a malicious website.
  • User interaction triggers code execution.

Live Threat

Current exploitation, exposure, and threat context

A remote code execution vulnerability in Internet Explorer's scripting engine could allow attackers to compromise systems. Exploiting this vulnerability requires enticing a user to visit a malicious website, which then triggers the execution of unauthorized code. The potential for significant data loss or system compromise poses a substantial business risk.

  • Likely attacker skill level: High
  • Required access or conditions: User interaction with malicious site
  • Business risk or urgency: High

Priority actions

Operational Fix

Recommended remediation, mitigation, and detection steps

A remote code execution vulnerability has been identified in Internet Explorer's scripting engine, allowing for the corruption of memory when handling objects. Successful exploitation could enable an attacker to execute arbitrary code within the context of the current user. This could lead to the compromise of affected systems and sensitive data.

  • Identify all Internet Explorer instances.
  • Isolate or restrict Internet Explorer usage.
  • Apply vendor security updates.
  • Verify the fix and monitor activity.

Frequently asked questions

What is Internet Explorer and what is its scripting engine?

Internet Explorer was a web browser developed by Microsoft, used for accessing websites and online content. Its scripting engine is a component that processes and executes code, like JavaScript, embedded within web pages, enabling dynamic and interactive website features.

What kind of weakness does CVE-2020-0674 represent?

CVE-2020-0674 is a memory corruption vulnerability, specifically a use-after-free weakness. This means the scripting engine incorrectly handles memory objects, leading to corruption that an attacker could exploit to run their own code.

How can an attacker exploit this CVE-2020-0674 vulnerability?

An attacker would need to convince a user to visit a specially crafted malicious website using an affected version of Internet Explorer. The bug is not triggered if the user does not interact with such a site.

Who should be concerned about this Internet Explorer vulnerability?

Organizations using Internet Explorer, especially those with instances accessible over the internet, should be concerned. While exploitation requires user interaction with a malicious site, the potential impact on user systems warrants attention for any deployment.

What is the first step for managing this CVE-2020-0674 threat?

The immediate first step is to identify all systems running Internet Explorer within your environment. Following that, consider restricting or isolating its usage where possible and applying any available security updates from the vendor.

References