Patchfirst
CVE-2014-1776 KEVPublic exploitEnd of life Critical · 9.8 EPSS 82.7%

Microsoft Internet Explorer Memory Corruption Vulnerability

Microsoft · Internet Explorer

End of lifeInternet Explorer reached on 15 Jun 2022. No patch is coming: remove or isolate it.

Summary

Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 6 through 11 contain a use-after-free memory corruption flaw in the CMarkup::IsConnectedToPrimaryMarkup function. A remote attacker can exploit it to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service, with the attack vector being network-based and requiring no privileges or user interaction.

Official description · NVD

Use-after-free vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 through 11 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via vectors related to the CMarkup::IsConnectedToPrimaryMarkup function, as exploited in the wild in April 2014. NOTE: this issue originally emphasized VGX.DLL, but Microsoft clarified that "VGX.DLL does not contain the vulnerable code leveraged in this exploit. Disabling VGX.DLL is an exploit-specific workaround that provides an immediate, effective workaround to help block known attacks."

Breakdown
60.9 / 100
Exploited
Yes, in CISA KEV
Reports
2
Tactics
2/15

How an attack unfolds

Based on mappings. Select a step to see the evidence.
  1. What they do

First seen exploited the day it was disclosed.

  1. DisclosedFirst seen exploitedVulnCheck KEV evidenceday 0
  2. Added to CISA KEVEU database agrees+8 yrs

CISA KEV listing is when exploitation was confirmed, not necessarily the first attack.

techniques

2 , grouped by in kill-chain order, 3 cited passages 2

ExecutionTA0002

Command and Scripting Interpreter T1059 Medium
AI mapping from the description · primary impact

arbitrary code execution after memory corruption

allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code
From the official description (NVD) Original (opens in a new tab) ↗

ImpactTA0040

Application or System Exploitation T1499.004 Medium
AI mapping from the description · primary impact

use-after-free can crash browser

cause a denial of service (memory corruption)
From the official description (NVD) Original (opens in a new tab) ↗
Lower-confidence links (3)

These come from early or generic mappings, text matching, or contradict this CVE’s details (for example a public-facing technique on a bug that needs a user to open a file). Shown for completeness.

  • Drive-by CompromiseT1189 server-side bug exploitable without user interaction; client-execution technique does not fit
  • Exploitation for Client ExecutionT1203 server-side bug exploitable without user interaction; client-execution technique does not fit
  • Endpoint Denial of ServiceT1499 CTID attack_to_cve Phase 1 "Uncategorized" mapping (not staged by impact)

Detection

0 rules for this CVE · 98 general rules for its techniques

Rules for this CVE

0 that reference CVE-2014-1776 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.

Sigma rules © SigmaHQ, Detection Rule License 1.1; linked, not reproduced.

What security researchers reported

Named in 2 threat reports
2 reportsrecon.cxMicrosoft

Reports are matched by finding the exact id CVE-2014-1776 in their text; nobody has reviewed the match. One passage is shown per report, at most 320 characters, linked to the original.

Also mentioned in 50 community threat pulses (AlienVault OTX)

Weaker evidence

Pulses are indicator collections that anyone can publish. A mention is not confirmation of exploitation.

References

13 links, grouped by NVD tag (10 duplicates merged)
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