CVE-2013-2551 — Microsoft Internet Explorer Use-After-Free Vulnerability

Use-after-free vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 through 10 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted web site that triggers access to a deleted object, as demonstrated by VUPEN during a Pwn2Own competition at CanSecWest 2013, aka "Internet

01What is this vulnerability?

Use-after-free vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 through 10 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted web site that triggers access to a deleted object, as demonstrated by VUPEN during a Pwn2Own competition at CanSecWest 2013, aka "Internet Explorer Use After Free Vulnerability," a different vulnerability than CVE-2013-1308 and CVE-2013-1309.

02Affected products

Vendor	Product	Versions
n	a / n/a	n/a

03Active exploitation status

Yes — actively exploited. Added to the CISA KEV catalog on 2022-03-28. Ransomware use: Known.

04Recommended remediation

• Patch to a fixed version listed in the vendor advisory (see references below).
• Mitigate with WAF rules, network egress filters, or feature flags where the patch is not yet available.
• Hunt historical logs for exploitation indicators — see Detection signatures below.

05Technical details

For the full vendor write-up, exploit chains, and reference implementations, see the references list in section 09.

06Detection signatures

Open the Sigma generator with a pre-filled prompt for this CVE to draft a starting detection in your stack of choice:

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07Related CVEs

08Timeline

• Published: 2013-03-11T10:00:00.000Z
• Last modified: 2025-10-22T00:05:43.584Z
• Added to CISA KEV: 2022-03-28
• BOD 22-01 due: 2022-04-18

09References

• docs.microsoft.com — https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2013/ms13-03…
• www.us-cert.gov — http://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/alerts/TA13-134A
• twitter.com — http://twitter.com/VUPEN/statuses/309479075385327617
• twitter.com — http://twitter.com/thezdi/statuses/309452625173176320
• oval.cisecurity.org — https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3…
• h30499.www3.hp.com — http://h30499.www3.hp.com/t5/HP-Security-Research-Blog/Pwn2Own-2013/ba-p/5981157