Critical

Internet Explorer Memory Corruption Vulnerability

IdentifiersCVE-2015-0041CWE-119

CVE-2015-0041 is a memory corruption vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 through 11. According to the provided content, the flaw can be triggered when a user visits a specially crafted web page in Internet Explorer. Microsoft classifies it as an Internet Explorer Memory Corruption Vulnerability and indicates that exploitation may result in arbitrary code execution or denial of service. The issue is distinct from other IE memory corruption vulnerabilities addressed in the same bulletin, including CVE-2015-0017, CVE-2015-0020, CVE-2015-0022, CVE-2015-0026, CVE-2015-0030, CVE-2015-0031, and CVE-2015-0036. The supporting bulletin states that the affected update resolves memory handling flaws by changing how Internet Explorer handles objects in memory.

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ANALYST BRIEF

Impact, mitigation & remediation

What it means. What to do now. Patch path, mitigations, and the assume-compromise checklist.

Impact

What an attacker gets, and what they’ve been doing with it.

Successful exploitation can allow remote code execution in the security context of the current user. If the user is running with administrative privileges, the attacker may be able to fully compromise the affected system. The provided CVE description also notes that exploitation may instead cause a denial of service through memory corruption. Client systems are generally at higher risk, while affected Windows Server systems are somewhat less exposed due to Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration.

Mitigation

If you can’t patch tonight, do this now.

The provided content states that Microsoft identified no specific workarounds for the memory corruption vulnerabilities. Practical risk reduction measures mentioned or implied by the bulletin include limiting user privileges so successful exploitation does not yield administrative rights, and relying on Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration on Windows Server platforms, which reduces exposure to malicious web content. Preventing users from visiting untrusted or attacker-controlled sites and malicious advertisements also reduces exposure, but no vendor workaround was identified.

Remediation

Patch, then assume compromise.

Apply Microsoft Security Update 3034682 for affected Internet Explorer versions. Based on the provided bulletin details, systems running Internet Explorer 9, 10, and 11 require both update 3021952 and update 3034196 for full protection. When installing manually, update 3021952 should be installed before 3034196 to avoid degraded page rendering. On some platforms, installing 3021952 also installs updates 3023607 and 3036197 automatically.

PUBLIC EXPLOITS

Exploits

No public exploits tracked yet. Mallory keeps watching.

VALID 0 / 0 TOTALView more in app

No public exploit code observed for this vulnerability.

EXPOSURE SURFACE

Affected products & vendors

Products and vendors Mallory has correlated with this vulnerability. Open in Mallory to drill down to specific CPE configurations and version ranges.

VendorProductType

Microsoft CorporationInternet Explorerapplication

Vendor-confirmed product mapping. Mallory continuously reconciles this list against your asset inventory.

ACTIVITY FEED

Recent activity

2 sources tracked across advisories, community write-ups, and news. New activity surfaces here as Mallory finds it.

2 SOURCESView more in app

microsoft technet subdomainNews

Mar 1, 2023

Microsoft Security Bulletin MS15-009 - Critical | Microsoft Learn

A memory corruption vulnerability in Internet Explorer that could allow remote code execution if a user views specially crafted web content.

microsoft technet subdomainNews

Mar 1, 2023

Microsoft Security Bulletin MS15-009 - Critical | Microsoft Learn

A memory corruption vulnerability in Internet Explorer that could allow remote code execution if a user views a specially crafted webpage.

What this page doesn’t show

The version that knows your environment.

This page is what’s public. Mallory adds the parts that aren’t: which of your assets are affected, which adversaries are exploiting it right now, which detections to deploy, and what to do tonight.

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Exposure mapping

Query your assets running an affected version, and investigate the blast radius.

Threat actor evidence

Every observed campaign linking this CVE to a named adversary.

Associated malware

Malware families riding this exploit, with evidence and IOCs.

Detection signatures

YARA, Sigma, Snort, and vendor rules, auto-deployed to your SIEM.

Vendor-by-vendor mapping

Cross-references every affected SKU, including bundled OEM variants.

Social activity