Remote Code Execution in Microsoft Internet Explorer (CVE‑2013‑3893) Threatens Legacy Browsers
What It Is — Microsoft Internet Explorer contains a memory‑corruption flaw in its resource‑management code that can be triggered remotely to execute arbitrary code. The vulnerability is tracked as CVE‑2013‑3893 and has a CVSS v3 base score of 7.8 (High). Public exploit code has been observed in the wild.
Exploitability — The vulnerability is actively exploitable; proof‑of‑concept exploits have been released and can be delivered via malicious web pages.
Affected Products — All supported and unsupported versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer (including legacy versions that are now End‑of‑Life or End‑of‑Service).
Why It Matters for Trust & Control Assurance
- Patch Management & Vulnerability Controls – Demonstrating a timely patch‑deployment process satisfies a core control objective that maps to multiple frameworks (e.g., NIST CSF Identify > Asset Management, ISO 27001 A.12.6).
- Evidence of Due Diligence – Continuous monitoring of browser versions and remediation status provides defensible audit evidence that an organization is actively managing known weaknesses.
- Enterprise Buyer Expectations – Large customers increasingly request proof that legacy, high‑risk components are either fully remediated or removed from the environment.
Recommended Actions
- Apply the Microsoft security update for Internet Explorer immediately on all endpoints that still run the browser.
- Disable or uninstall IE on systems where it is not required; migrate users to a supported browser.
- Update your asset inventory to flag any remaining IE installations and track remediation status.
- Capture remediation evidence (patch logs, configuration baselines) for audit readiness.
- Implement continuous monitoring of browser versions through an endpoint‑management solution.
Source: CISA KEV – CVE‑2013‑3893