CVE-2014-1773

What it actually does

The vulnerability causes memory corruption in Internet Explorer 9 through 11 when rendering a crafted web site, enabling remote arbitrary code execution or denial of service.

Why it matters to the business

Attackers can compromise systems of users visiting malicious sites, resulting in data theft or full system control; the affected browser versions have been obsolete for over a decade with no listed fixes, increasing risk for any remaining legacy deployments.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker hosts a malicious web site that triggers the memory corruption flaw and lures victims to visit it, allowing code execution in the browser process context.

How to fix it

Migrate all users away from Internet Explorer 9-11 to a fully supported modern browser; apply any available cumulative updates for legacy environments if migration is delayed.

How to confirm the fix worked

Confirm removal or disabling of Internet Explorer 9-11 across the environment and verify replacement browser usage through inventory scans or policy enforcement.

Typical attack path

1. Prepare a crafted web site containing the memory corruption trigger
2. Distribute a link to the site via phishing email or compromised legitimate site
3. Victim loads the page in vulnerable Internet Explorer
4. Memory corruption occurs leading to arbitrary code execution

How to detect it

Review web proxy logs and browser process creation events around the time of suspected malicious site visits for unexpected child processes or crashes in iexplore.exe.

What your security team should do

• Block or restrict Internet Explorer 9-11 via group policy or endpoint controls
• Conduct inventory to identify any remaining legacy browser usage
• Educate users on avoiding unsupported browsers