CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2013-7331Exploited in the wildNVD status: Analyzed

Microsoft Internet Explorer Information Disclosure

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2013-7331 is a medium-severity generation of error message containing sensitive information vulnerability in Internet Explorer from Microsoft, with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 4.3 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected Internet Explorer versions: 6; 7; 8, and others listed below. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. CISA added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue on May 25, 2022, which means attacks have been observed in the wild.

Patch now

Attackers are already exploiting this vulnerability, according to CISA.

What to do

  1. Check which version of Internet Explorer you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
  2. CISA's required action: Apply updates per vendor instructions.
  3. Read the advisory on docs.microsoft.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
  4. Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
MicrosoftInternet Explorer6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11Not stated

Version data comes from NVD's product matching. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Access vector
NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network.
Access complexity
MediumSome conditions must be met.
Authentication
NoneNo login is needed.
Confidentiality
PartialSome data can be read.
Integrity
NoneNothing can be modified.
Availability
NoneAvailability is not affected.

Vector: AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N. Scored by NVD.

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 3.16.5MediumCISA (ADP)
CVSS 2.04.3MediumNVD

Official description

The Microsoft.XMLDOM ActiveX control in Microsoft Windows 8.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to determine the existence of local pathnames, UNC share pathnames, intranet hostnames, and intranet IP addresses by examining error codes, as demonstrated by a res:// URL, and exploited in the wild in February 2014.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Generation of Error Message Containing Sensitive Information

The product generates an error message that includes sensitive information about its environment, users, or associated data.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Handle exceptions internally and do not display errors containing potentially sensitive information to a user.
  • Use naming conventions and strong types to make it easier to spot when sensitive data is being used. When creating structures, objects, or other complex entities, separate the sensitive and non-sensitive data as much as possible.
  • Debugging information should not make its way into a production release.

More Generation of Error Message Containing Sensitive Information vulnerabilities (CWE-209)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. Added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue.
  3. Deadline for US federal agencies to remediate, set by CISA.
  4. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: active, automatable: yes, technical impact: partial).
  5. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Other vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer

All Internet Explorer vulnerabilities

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