Assessment
Why it matters
CISA lists this vulnerability as known to be exploited; exploitation is confirmed; EPSS is 85.9%; technical severity is CVSS 8.8.
Use-after-free vulnerability in the SetMouseCapture implementation in mshtml.dll in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 through 11 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via crafted JavaScript strings, as demonstrated by use of an ms-help: URL that triggers loading of hxds.dll.
Who should care
- Teams operating Internet Explorer
- Vulnerability and exposure management teams
- Security operations teams monitoring exploitation activity
Response plan
What I would do
- Confirm whether Internet Explorer is present in the environment.
- Identify affected versions and establish whether vulnerable services are exposed or reachable.
- Microsoft Security advisory 2887505
- Review relevant security telemetry for evidence of attempted or successful exploitation.
- Document the remediation decision and track it to verified completion.
Treatment intelligence
Remediation intelligence
Vendor sources are listed before government and third-party guidance. Confirm product applicability and change prerequisites before deployment.
Verification noteAutomated link verification has not completed for this guidance yet.
Advisory
Technical details
- CVSS vector
- CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- CWE
- CWE-399
- Affected versions
- Microsoft Internet Explorer (Version 6 | Version 7 | Version 8 | Version 9)
- Fixed versions
- No explicit fixed version is currently recorded.
- Published
- 18 September 2013
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- Required
Signal timeline
- CVE published
- Added to CISA KEV
- Latest EPSS score: 85.9%
- Signal calculated at 82
External references
- CISA Government advisory CVE-2013-3893
- Blogs Technet Technical reference Ms13 080 Addresses Two Vulnerabilities Under Limited Targeted Attacks
- Jvn Jp Third-party advisory
- Jvndb Jvn Jp Third-party advisory JVNDB 2013 000093
- Exploit information from packetstormsecurity.com
- Exploit information from pastebin.com
- Securityfocus Technical reference
- Us Cert Government advisory TA13 288A
- Oval Cisecurity Technical reference Oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A18665