Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 Memory Corruption Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (CVE-2015-2425, MS15-065)
Executive & SecOps Summary
SECOPS ASSESSMENTMicrosoft Internet Explorer 11 browser environments.
Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (DoS) via memory corruption by enticing users to visit a crafted website.
Apply the MS15-065 cumulative security update, disable Internet Explorer 11, and transition to modern browsers like Microsoft Edge.
Affected Products & Version Scope
Remediation & Live Workaround Commands
PATCH & WORKAROUND1. Official Patch & Version Upgrade Commands
Since Internet Explorer 11 is retired, organizations must apply the cumulative security updates (MS15-065) or upgrade to modern operating systems. To force Windows Update to search and install the relevant security updates via PowerShell, use the following commands:
# Install Windows Update module and trigger update for MS15-065 related KB
Install-Module PSWindowsUpdate -Force -Verbose
Get-WindowsUpdate -KBArticleID KB3078071 -Install -AcceptAll -AutoReboot2. Temporary Workaround & Hardening Configuration
To mitigate the risk immediately, disable Internet Explorer 11 across the enterprise and enforce the use of Microsoft Edge with IE Mode for legacy application compatibility. Run the following PowerShell command to disable IE11:
# Disable Internet Explorer 11 optional feature (requires reboot)
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName 'Internet-Explorer-Optional-amd64' -NoRestart3. Log Audit & IoC Verification Commands
You can verify the installed version of Internet Explorer and its core rendering engine (mshtml.dll) to ensure the system is not running vulnerable legacy binaries:
# Check Internet Explorer and mshtml.dll file versions
$iePath = 'C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe'
if (Test-Path $iePath) {
$ieVersion = (Get-Item $iePath).VersionInfo.ProductVersion
Write-Output 'IE Version: $ieVersion'
}
$dllPath = 'C:\Windows\System32\mshtml.dll'
if (Test-Path $dllPath) {
$dllVersion = (Get-Item $dllPath).VersionInfo.FileVersion
Write-Output 'mshtml.dll Version: $dllVersion'
}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-2015-2425 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer 11. The root cause lies in how the browser's rendering engine handles objects in memory during HTML/CSS parsing and JavaScript execution. Improper memory management, such as Use-After-Free (UAF) or out-of-bounds write (CWE-787) conditions, allows the memory layout to be corrupted when processing specifically crafted web content.
2. Exploitation Mechanics & Attack Scenario
An attacker exploits this vulnerability by hosting a malicious website containing specially crafted HTML and JavaScript. When a target user visits the site (often via phishing or watering hole attacks), the browser attempts to render the malicious elements, triggering the memory corruption. By leveraging techniques like heap spraying, the attacker can overwrite critical memory pointers to hijack the execution flow and execute arbitrary shellcode with the privileges of the active user.
3. Infrastructure & Business Impact
This vulnerability is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, indicating active exploitation in the wild. Successful exploitation grants the attacker local user privileges, which can lead to complete system compromise, lateral movement within the enterprise network, and deployment of ransomware or spyware, posing severe operational and financial risks.
Official Vendor Advisories & References
Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 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-2015-2383 and CVE-2015-2384.
Frequently Asked SecOps Questions (CVE-2015-2425)
FAQQ1. How critical is CVE-2015-2425 and is it actively exploited in the wild?
CVE-2015-2425 is rated CVSS 8.8 (HIGH) with a 30-day EPSS exploitation probability of 44.7%. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, requiring immediate emergency remediation.
Q2. Which vendors and products are affected by CVE-2015-2425?
Primary impacted vendors include microsoft across internet explorer. Scope summary: Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 on all supported operating systems
Q3. What temporary mitigations or workarounds exist for CVE-2015-2425 before patching?
[Mitigation] Apply the MS15-065 cumulative security update, disable Internet Explorer 11, and transition to modern browsers like Microsoft Edge. 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-2015-2425
Instantly format this advisory into an executive CISO summary or engineering patch ticket.
🔗 Related Advisories in Similar Stack (microsoft)
View Category →Microsoft Windows Shell Command Injection and Security Feature Bypass (CVE-2026-96951) Advisory
[Affected Scope] All supported versions of Windows OS including Windows 10, 11, and Windows Server.
Windows ALPC Heap-Based Buffer Overflow Privilege Escalation Vulnerability (CVE-2026-85880) Security Advisory
[Affected Scope] Locally authenticated users across Microsoft Windows operating systems
Windows Update Stack Privilege Escalation Vulnerability via Link Following (CVE-2026-81963) Technical Advisory
[Affected Scope] Microsoft Windows operating systems utilizing the Windows Update Stack
Microsoft Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS) Privilege Escalation Vulnerability (CVE-2026-56155) Security Advisory
[Affected Scope] Windows Server environments with Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS) enabled
Subscribe to Daily Vulnerability Briefings & KEV Alerts
Concise morning briefings for SecOps, DevSecOps, and SRE teams covering newly exploited CVEs and mitigation priorities.