Vulnerability Monitor

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CVE-2012-4969

Use-after-free vulnerability in the CMshtmlEd::Exec function in mshtml.dll in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 through 9 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted web site, as exploited in the wild in September 2012.

Security Impact Summary

This vulnerability carries a HIGH severity rating with a CVSS v3.1 score of 8.1, indicating it can be exploited remotely over the network but requires specific conditions to be met without requiring user interaction and does not require pre-existing privileges . The vulnerability impacts confidentiality (data exposure), integrity (unauthorized modifications), and availability (service disruption) for affected systems. Impacting 6 products from microsoft, from microsoft, from microsoft and 3 others, organizations running these solutions should prioritize assessment and patching.

Historical Context

Documented in 2012, this vulnerability occurred amid the cloud computing expansion era, where traditional network perimeter security models were being reevaluated. Organizations were transitioning from isolated infrastructure to interconnected systems, creating new attack surfaces that vulnerabilities like this could exploit.

Published

2012-09-18T10:39:14.147

Last Modified

2025-10-22T01:15:45.547

Status

Deferred

Source

[email protected]

Severity

CVSSv3.1: 8.1 (HIGH)

CVSSv2 Vector

AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

Access Vector: NETWORK
Access Complexity: MEDIUM
Authentication: NONE
Confidentiality Impact: COMPLETE
Integrity Impact: COMPLETE
Availability Impact: COMPLETE

Exploitability Score

8.6

Impact Score

10.0

Weaknesses

Type: Primary
NVD-CWE-Other
Type: Secondary
CWE-416

Affected Vendors & Products

Type	Vendor	Product	Version/Range	Vulnerable?
Application	microsoft	internet_explorer	6	Yes
Operating System	microsoft	windows_server	2003	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_server	2003	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_server	2003	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_xp	*	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_xp	*	No
Application	microsoft	internet_explorer	7	Yes
Operating System	microsoft	windows_server	2003	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_server	2003	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_server	2003	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_server	2008	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_server	2008	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_server	2008	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_vista	*	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_vista	*	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_vista	-	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_xp	*	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_xp	-	No
Application	microsoft	internet_explorer	8	Yes
Operating System	microsoft	windows_7	*	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_7	*	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_7	*	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_7	-	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_server	2003	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_server	2003	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_server	2008	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_server	2008	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_server_2008	r2	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_server_2008	r2	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_server_2008	r2	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_server_2008	r2	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_vista	*	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_vista	*	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_vista	-	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_xp	*	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_xp	-	No
Application	microsoft	internet_explorer	9	Yes
Operating System	microsoft	windows_7	*	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_7	*	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_7	*	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_7	*	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_7	-	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_7	-	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_7	-	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_server_2008	*	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_server_2008	-	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_server_2008	r2	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_server_2008	r2	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_vista	*	No
Operating System	microsoft	windows_vista	sp2	No

References

http://blog.vulnhunt.com/index.php/2012/09/17/ie-execcommand-fuction-use-after-free-vulnerability-0day_en/ Broken Link ([email protected])
http://dev.metasploit.com/redmine/projects/framework/repository/entry/modules/exploits/windows/browser/ie_execcommand_uaf.rb Broken Link ([email protected])
http://eromang.zataz.com/2012/09/16/zero-day-season-is-really-not-over-yet/ Third Party Advisory ([email protected])
http://technet.microsoft.com/security/advisory/2757760 Patch, Vendor Advisory ([email protected])
http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/480095 Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource ([email protected])
http://www.securitytracker.com/id?1027538 Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry ([email protected])
http://www.securityweek.com/new-internet-explorer-zero-day-being-exploited-wild Third Party Advisory ([email protected])
http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA12-255A.html Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource ([email protected])
http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA12-262A.html Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource ([email protected])
http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA12-265A.html Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource ([email protected])
https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A15729 Third Party Advisory ([email protected])
http://blog.vulnhunt.com/index.php/2012/09/17/ie-execcommand-fuction-use-after-free-vulnerability-0day_en/ Broken Link (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
http://dev.metasploit.com/redmine/projects/framework/repository/entry/modules/exploits/windows/browser/ie_execcommand_uaf.rb Broken Link (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
http://eromang.zataz.com/2012/09/16/zero-day-season-is-really-not-over-yet/ Third Party Advisory (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
http://technet.microsoft.com/security/advisory/2757760 Patch, Vendor Advisory (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/480095 Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
http://www.securitytracker.com/id?1027538 Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
http://www.securityweek.com/new-internet-explorer-zero-day-being-exploited-wild Third Party Advisory (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA12-255A.html Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA12-262A.html Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA12-265A.html Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A15729 Third Party Advisory (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2012-4969 (134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0)

How SecUtils Interprets This CVE

SecUtils normalizes and enriches National Vulnerability Database (NVD) records by standardizing vendor and product identifiers, aggregating vulnerability metadata from both NVD and MITRE sources, and providing structured context for security teams. For microsoft's affected products, we extract Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) data, Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) classifications, CVSS severity metrics, and reference data to enable rapid vulnerability prioritization and asset correlation. This record contains no exploit code, proof-of-concept instructions, or attack methodologies—only defensive intelligence necessary for patch management, risk assessment, and security operations.