Uninitialized Memory Corruption in Microsoft Internet Explorer (CVE‑2010‑3962) Enables Remote Code Execution
What It Is – Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) contains an uninitialized memory corruption flaw that can be triggered by crafted web content, allowing an attacker to execute arbitrary code on the victim’s machine.
Exploitability – The vulnerability is remotely exploitable; proof‑of‑concept exploits have been publicly released. The CVSS v3 score is 7.5 (High).
Affected Products – Microsoft Internet Explorer 6‑11 on Windows platforms, including versions that are already end‑of‑life (EoL) or end‑of‑service (EoS).
Why It Matters for Trust & Control Assurance
- Demonstrates the need for a vulnerability‑management control that ensures timely identification, risk assessment, and remediation of software flaws.
- Provides audit evidence that an organization maintains an up‑to‑date asset inventory and patches critical components, a requirement across frameworks such as NIST CSF, ISO 27001, and SOC 2.
- Highlights the importance of continuous control monitoring to prove due‑diligence when third‑party browsers are still in use.
Recommended Actions
- Inventory all endpoints to identify any machines still running Internet Explorer, especially EoL/EoS versions.
- Immediately discontinue use of IE; replace with a supported browser or apply Microsoft’s security update where applicable.
- Document the remediation steps in your vulnerability‑management system to generate defensible audit evidence.
- Incorporate the remediation into your continuous control‑mapping process to keep evidence aligned with your framework of record.
Source: CISA KEV – CVE‑2010‑3962