CVE-2012-4969
Microsoft Internet Explorer Use-After-Free Vulnerability
Does this matter?
Known to be exploited in the wild (CISA KEV, CISA remediation deadline 22 June 2022). Treat as an emergency change: patch or isolate now, then hunt for prior compromise.
Description
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.
- CVSS 3.1
- 8.1 HIGHCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS
- 80.25% probability · 100th percentile
- Public exploits
- 1 in Exploit-DB · verified · first 10 October 2012
- CISA KEV
- Listed 8 June 2022 · due 22 June 2022
- Weakness
- CWE-416
- Affected
- microsoft/internet explorer
- Source
- cve@mitre.org
EPSS moved from 80.3% on 24 September 2026 to 80.3% on 26 October 2026. The dashed line is the ten per cent mark our analysts treat as “patch before the next change window”.
CISA notes
Apply updates per vendor instructions. https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-4969
Public exploits (1)
Entries in Exploit-DB that cite this CVE. Links go to the Exploit-DB page and to the file in the public repository; nothing is hosted here. A verified tick means the Exploit-DB team confirmed the exploit works against the stated version.
References
- http://blog.vulnhunt.com/index.php/2012/09/17/ie-execcommand-fuction-use-after-free-vulnerability-0day_en/Broken Link
- http://dev.metasploit.com/redmine/projects/framework/repository/entry/modules/exploits/windows/browser/ie_execcommand_uaf.rbBroken Link
- http://eromang.zataz.com/2012/09/16/zero-day-season-is-really-not-over-yet/Third Party Advisory
- http://technet.microsoft.com/security/advisory/2757760Patch, Vendor Advisory
- http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/480095Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id?1027538Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://www.securityweek.com/new-internet-explorer-zero-day-being-exploited-wildThird Party Advisory
- http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA12-255A.htmlThird Party Advisory, US Government Resource
- http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA12-262A.htmlThird Party Advisory, US Government Resource
- http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA12-265A.htmlThird Party Advisory, US Government Resource
- https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A15729Third Party Advisory
- http://blog.vulnhunt.com/index.php/2012/09/17/ie-execcommand-fuction-use-after-free-vulnerability-0day_en/Broken Link
- http://dev.metasploit.com/redmine/projects/framework/repository/entry/modules/exploits/windows/browser/ie_execcommand_uaf.rbBroken Link
- http://eromang.zataz.com/2012/09/16/zero-day-season-is-really-not-over-yet/Third Party Advisory
- http://technet.microsoft.com/security/advisory/2757760Patch, Vendor Advisory
- http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/480095Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id?1027538Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://www.securityweek.com/new-internet-explorer-zero-day-being-exploited-wildThird Party Advisory
- http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA12-255A.htmlThird Party Advisory, US Government Resource
- http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA12-262A.htmlThird Party Advisory, US Government Resource
- http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA12-265A.htmlThird Party Advisory, US Government Resource
- https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A15729Third Party Advisory
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2012-4969US Government Resource
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.