Microsoft Security
Encounters involving exploits targeting CVE-2013-2551, a use-after-free…
3 passages name itOriginal (opens in a new tab) ↗
CVE-2013-2551 KEVRansomwarePublic exploitEnd of life High · 8.8 EPSS 73.9%
Microsoft Internet Explorer Use-After-Free Vulnerability
Microsoft · Internet Explorer
End of lifeInternet Explorer reached End of lifeThe vendor no longer ships security fixes. Remove or isolate the product instead of waiting for a patch. on 15 Jun 2022. No patch is coming: remove or isolate it.
Summary
A use-after-free flaw in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 through 10 lies in how the browser handles deleted objects. An attacker who gets a user to visit a crafted web site can trigger access to a deleted object and execute arbitrary code, which requires user interaction but no prior authentication or network access beyond reaching that page.
Official description · NVD
Use-after-free vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 through 10 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted web site that triggers access to a deleted object, as demonstrated by VUPEN during a Pwn2Own competition at CanSecWest 2013, aka "Internet Explorer Use After Free Vulnerability," a different vulnerability than CVE-2013-1308 and CVE-2013-1309.
Priority scorePatchfirst’s 0 to 100 ranking. It adds points for CISA KEV listing, ransomware use, EPSS, threat reports, public exploit code and CVSS. Every CVE page shows the breakdown. Breakdown
70.2 / 100
- Exploited
- Yes, in CISA KEV
- Reports
- 2
- Tactics
- 2/15
How an attack unfolds
Based on MITRE ATT&CKA public catalogue of the techniques attackers use, maintained by MITRE. Patchfirst uses it to describe what attackers do with a vulnerability. mappings. Select a step to see the evidence.Exploitation timelineDated milestones for a CVE: when it was disclosed, when exploit code became public, when exploitation was confirmed, and when threat reports named it.
First seen exploited 23 months after disclosure. Public exploit code (Metasploit) was available 5 days before disclosure.
- Public exploit codeMetasploit5 days before
- Disclosedday 0
- First seen exploitedVulnCheck KEV evidence+23 mo
- Added to CISA KEVknown ransomware use; EU database agrees+9 yrs
CISA KEV listing is when exploitation was confirmed, not necessarily the first attack.
MITRE ATT&CKA public catalogue of the techniques attackers use, maintained by MITRE. Patchfirst uses it to describe what attackers do with a vulnerability. techniques
2 TechniqueOne specific attacker behaviour in MITRE ATT&CK, such as T1190 “Exploit Public-Facing Application”. IDs with a dot, like T1059.004, are sub-techniques., grouped by TacticThe attacker’s goal at a stage of an attack in MITRE ATT&CK, such as Initial Access or Persistence. Each technique belongs to one or more tactics. in kill-chain order, 2 cited passages 2Initial AccessTA0001
Drive-by Compromise T1189 Medium Confidence (technique links)How sure Patchfirst is that an ATT&CK technique applies to this CVE. High and medium links are shown by default; low ones come from early or generic mappings, text matching, or contradict the CVE’s details.
AI mapping from the description · how it is exploited
Drive-by via crafted malicious website
allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted web site
ExecutionTA0002
Exploitation for Client Execution T1203 Medium Confidence (technique links)How sure Patchfirst is that an ATT&CK technique applies to this CVE. High and medium links are shown by default; low ones come from early or generic mappings, text matching, or contradict the CVE’s details.
AI mapping from the description · primary impact
Client application exploitation enables arbitrary code execution
Use-after-free vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 through 10
Detection
0 rules for this CVE · 38 general rules for its techniquesRules for this CVE
0Sigma ruleAn open, vendor-neutral detection rule for log data. Security teams convert Sigma rules into searches for their own SIEM. that reference CVE-2013-2551 directly.CVE-specific rules are not available in this build. Search SigmaHQ ↗
General rules for this CVE’s techniques
These detect the technique in general, not this specific vulnerability.
Drive-by CompromiseT11893 general rules
Exploitation for Client ExecutionT120335 general rules
- Antivirus - Exploitation Framework Signaturecriticalstable
- Droppers Exploiting CVE-2017-11882criticalstable
- Audit CVE Eventcriticaltest
- CVE-2021-31979 CVE-2021-33771 Exploitscriticaltest
- CVE-2021-31979 CVE-2021-33771 Exploits by Sourgumcriticaltest
- Exploit for CVE-2017-8759criticaltest
- Antivirus - APT Malware Signaturecriticalexperimental
- Antivirus - Remote Access Tools Signaturecriticalexperimental
Sigma rules © SigmaHQ, Detection Rule License 1.1; linked, not reproduced.
What security researchers reported
Named in 2 threat reports2 reportsMicrosoft2
Reports are matched by finding the exact id CVE-2013-2551 in their text; nobody has reviewed the match. One passage is shown per report, at most 320 characters, linked to the original.
Microsoft Security
Mentions the CVE; no further detail.
2 passages name itOriginal (opens in a new tab) ↗
Also mentioned in 50 community threat pulses (AlienVault OTX)
Weaker evidencePulses are indicator collections that anyone can publish. A mention is not confirmation of exploitation.
- Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 29, 202628 Oct 2026
- Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 28, 202627 Oct 2026
- Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 27, 202626 Oct 2026
- Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 24, 202623 Oct 2026
- Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 23, 202622 Oct 2026
- Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 22, 202621 Oct 2026
- 44 more on OTX