Microsoft Internet Explorer 8/9/10 Memory Corruption Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (CVE-2013-3163, MS13-055)
Executive & SecOps Summary
SECOPS ASSESSMENTMicrosoft Internet Explorer (IE) versions 8, 9, and 10 running on Windows environments.
Successful exploitation allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the current user or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via a crafted malicious website.
Apply the official Microsoft security update (MS13-055), transition to modern secure browsers, or implement temporary workarounds such as disabling Active Scripting.
Affected Products & Version Scope
Remediation & Live Workaround Commands
PATCH & WORKAROUND1. Official Patch & Version Upgrade Commands
The primary remediation is to apply the MS13-055 cumulative security update. For legacy systems, you can query and verify the installation of the required KB updates using the following PowerShell script:
# Query missing security updates related to MS13-055 (KB2846071)
$Searcher = New-Object -ComObject Microsoft.Update.Searcher
$SearchResult = $Searcher.Search('IsInstalled=0 and Type=\'Software\'')
$SearchResult.Updates | Where-Object { $_.Title -like '*KB2846071*' -or $_.Title -like '*MS13-055*' } | Select-Object Title, Description2. Temporary Workaround & Hardening Configuration
If immediate patching is not feasible, disable Active Scripting in the Internet Security Zone to mitigate the primary attack vector. Run the following PowerShell command to modify the registry:
# Disable Active Scripting (Value 3) for the Internet Zone (Zone 3) in Registry
Set-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\3' -Name '1400' -Value 3
Write-Output 'Active Scripting has been successfully disabled for the Internet Zone.'3. Log Audit & IoC Verification Commands
Use this script to audit the installed version of Internet Explorer and identify if the system is running a vulnerable version:
# Audit Internet Explorer executable version to detect vulnerability exposure
$iePath = 'C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe'
if (Test-Path $iePath) {
$versionInfo = (Get-Item $iePath).VersionInfo
$majorVersion = $versionInfo.ProductMajorPart
Write-Host 'Current IE Version:' $versionInfo.ProductVersion
if ($majorVersion -ge 8 -and $majorVersion -le 10) {
Write-Warning 'VULNERABLE: Internet Explorer 8/9/10 detected. Apply MS13-055 immediately.'
} else {
Write-Host 'IE version is not in the primary vulnerable range, but migration to a modern browser is strongly advised.' -ForegroundColor Green
}
} else {
Write-Host 'Internet Explorer default executable path not found.' -ForegroundColor Green
}Block Kernel Privilege Escalation & Ransomware Payloads Before You Can Reboot
Protect unpatched Windows, Linux, and macOS workloads against in-memory exploitation and lateral movement with autonomous EDR.
Technical Root Cause & Exploitation Mechanics
1. Vulnerability Overview & Root Cause
CVE-2013-3163 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in the rendering engine of Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 8, 9, and 10. The root cause lies in how the browser handles objects in memory during DOM (Document Object Model) manipulation. When certain HTML elements or DOM objects are deleted but still referenced by the engine, a Use-After-Free (UAF) or heap memory corruption (CWE-787) condition is triggered.
2. Exploitation Mechanics & Attack Scenario
An attacker exploits this vulnerability by hosting a specially crafted web page containing malicious HTML and JavaScript. The attacker then lures targets to the site via phishing emails, watering hole attacks, or drive-by downloads. When the victim opens the page using a vulnerable version of IE, the malicious JavaScript triggers the premature deallocation of a specific DOM object and subsequently overwrites that freed memory space with attacker-controlled shellcode. This redirects the execution flow, allowing arbitrary code execution within the context of the logged-in user.
3. Infrastructure & Business Impact
This vulnerability is listed in the CISA KEV (Known Exploited Vulnerabilities) catalog, indicating active exploitation in the wild. Successful exploitation grants the attacker initial access to the endpoint. From there, attackers can perform lateral movement, deploy ransomware, exfiltrate sensitive corporate data, or compromise Active Directory credentials, posing a severe threat to enterprise infrastructure and business continuity.
Official Vendor Advisories & References
Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 through 10 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via a crafted web site, aka "Internet Explorer Memory Corruption Vulnerability," a different vulnerability than CVE-2013-3144 and CVE-2013-3151.
Frequently Asked SecOps Questions (CVE-2013-3163)
FAQQ1. How critical is CVE-2013-3163 and is it actively exploited in the wild?
CVE-2013-3163 is rated CVSS 8.8 (HIGH) with a 30-day EPSS exploitation probability of 70.7%. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, requiring immediate emergency remediation.
Q2. Which vendors and products are affected by CVE-2013-3163?
Primary impacted vendors include microsoft across internet explorer. Scope summary: Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 8, 9, and 10 on supported Windows operating systems (including Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, and Windows Server 2003/2008/2012)
Q3. What temporary mitigations or workarounds exist for CVE-2013-3163 before patching?
[Mitigation] Apply the official Microsoft security update (MS13-055), transition to modern secure browsers, or implement temporary workarounds such as disabling Active Scripting. Follow the CLI remediation commands and interactive SecOps checklist on this page to restrict exposure prior to your maintenance window.
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