Microsoft Internet Explorer Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability (CVE-2014-4123, MS14-056)
Executive & SecOps Summary
SECOPS ASSESSMENTMicrosoft Internet Explorer versions 7 through 11 running on Windows environments.
Remote attackers can bypass browser sandbox restrictions, elevate privileges, and execute arbitrary code on the host system via crafted web content.
Apply the MS14-056 cumulative security update immediately, or transition to modern browsers and disable legacy Internet Explorer components.
Affected Products & Version Scope
Remediation & Live Workaround Commands
PATCH & WORKAROUND1. Official Patch & Version Upgrade Commands
Apply the MS14-056 cumulative security update (KB2987107). For legacy systems managed via PowerShell, you can force the installation of the required security updates using the following commands:
# Install Windows Update module and force install the MS14-056 update (KB2987107)
Install-Module PSWindowsUpdate -Force -Verbose
Get-WindowsUpdate -KBArticleID KB2987107 -Install -AcceptAll -AutoReboot2. Temporary Workaround & Hardening Configuration
If immediate patching is not feasible, enable Enhanced Protected Mode (EPM) and restrict ActiveX controls to mitigate the risk of exploitation.
# Registry script to force-enable Enhanced Protected Mode (EPM) in Internet Explorer
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main]
"Isolation"="PMEM"
"EnhancedSecurityFlow"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\3]
"2500"=dword:000000003. Log Audit & IoC Verification Commands
Use the following PowerShell script to audit the installed Internet Explorer version and verify whether the MS14-056 security patch is present on the system.
# Audit script to check IE version and MS14-056 patch status
$ieVersion = (Get-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer').Version
$mshtmlPath = "$env:SystemRoot\System32\mshtml.dll"
$mshtmlVersion = (Get-Item $mshtmlPath).VersionInfo.FileVersion
Write-Host "Current IE Version: $ieVersion"
Write-Host "MSHTML.dll Version: $mshtmlVersion"
# Check for KB2987107 installation status
$patchInstalled = Get-HotFix -Id KB2987107 -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
if ($patchInstalled) {
Write-Host 'SUCCESS: MS14-056 (KB2987107) patch is applied.' -ForegroundColor Green
} else {
Write-Host 'WARNING: MS14-056 patch is MISSING. System is vulnerable.' -ForegroundColor Red
}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-2014-4123 is a critical elevation of privilege vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE). The root cause lies in the way the browser's rendering engine handles objects in memory. Due to improper memory management (such as Use-After-Free or memory corruption conditions), an attacker can manipulate the state of memory objects via malicious scripts, leading to arbitrary code execution outside the browser's restricted sandbox.
2. Exploitation Mechanics & Attack Scenario
To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker hosts a specially crafted website designed to trigger the memory corruption when rendered by Internet Explorer. Alternatively, attackers can compromise legitimate websites or inject malicious advertisements (malvertising). When a victim visits the malicious page using a vulnerable version of IE, the exploit triggers, allowing the attacker to bypass Protected Mode and execute commands with the privileges of the current user or elevate to local system privileges. This vulnerability was actively exploited in the wild in October 2014.
3. Infrastructure & Business Impact
As a CISA KEV-listed vulnerability, CVE-2014-4123 poses a severe threat to legacy infrastructures. Successful exploitation grants attackers initial access and local administrative control over endpoint workstations. This can serve as a launchpad for lateral movement, credential harvesting, and ransomware deployment within corporate networks, leading to severe operational disruption and data breaches.
Official Vendor Advisories & References
Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 through 11 allows remote attackers to gain privileges via a crafted web site, aka "Internet Explorer Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability," as exploited in the wild in October 2014, a different vulnerability than CVE-2014-4124.
Frequently Asked SecOps Questions (CVE-2014-4123)
FAQQ1. How critical is CVE-2014-4123 and is it actively exploited in the wild?
CVE-2014-4123 is rated CVSS 8.8 (HIGH) with a 30-day EPSS exploitation probability of 47.1%. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, requiring immediate emergency remediation.
Q2. Which vendors and products are affected by CVE-2014-4123?
Primary impacted vendors include microsoft across internet_explorer. Scope summary: Microsoft Internet Explorer 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 on supported Windows client and server operating systems.
Q3. What temporary mitigations or workarounds exist for CVE-2014-4123 before patching?
[Mitigation] Apply the MS14-056 cumulative security update immediately, or transition to modern browsers and disable legacy Internet Explorer components. Follow the CLI remediation commands and interactive SecOps checklist on this page to restrict exposure prior to your maintenance window.
Generate an Internal Engineering Notice or CISO Report for CVE-2014-4123
Instantly format this advisory into an executive CISO summary or engineering patch ticket.
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