CVE-2013-2551: Technical Deep-Dive (Auto Refreshed)

Generated on 2026-03-30T14:58:48.595Z. This file is automatically regenerated every 30 minutes by the CVE AI enrichment job using web sources (NVD, MITRE, CISA KEV, GitHub).

Executive Technical Summary

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.

• Context preserved from previous revision: 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. 1. Use only isolated environments and systems you own or are explicitly authorized to test.

Technical Details

• CVE: CVE-2013-2551
• KEV date added: 2022-03-28
• KEV due date: 2022-04-18
• NVD published: 2013-03-11
• NVD modified: 2025-10-22
• MITRE modified: 2025-10-22
• CVSS base score: 8.8
• CVSS vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
• CVSS exploitability score: 2.8
• CVSS impact score: 5.9
• Attack vector: Network
• Attack complexity: Low
• Privileges required: None
• User interaction: Required
• Scope: Unchanged
• Confidentiality impact: High
• Integrity impact: High
• Availability impact: High

Versions and Products Impacted

• microsoft / internet explorer (versions: 6)
• microsoft / internet explorer (versions: 7)
• microsoft / internet explorer (versions: 8)
• microsoft / internet explorer (versions: 9)
• microsoft / internet explorer (versions: 10)
• n/a / n/a (versions: n/a)

Weakness Classification

• CWE-416

Repositories for Lab Validation (Public Examples)

• No public repository matched this CVE query in the current run.

People and Organizations Mentioned

• mitre
• Microsoft
• Internet Explorer

Practical Defensive Validation (Authorized Only)

1. Use only isolated environments and systems you own or are explicitly authorized to test.
2. Snapshot infrastructure before validation and preserve baseline logs (EDR, SIEM, OS, app).
3. Inventory microsoft / internet explorer (versions: 6) assets and confirm exact vulnerable versions with automated checks.
4. Patch in staged environments and validate closure with scanners + service health checks.
5. Map detections to MITRE ATT&CK tactics relevant to your environment and tune alert quality.

References

• NVD record: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2013-2551
• MITRE CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2013-2551
• CISA KEV Catalog: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog
• CISA KEV JSON feed: https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json
• KEV notes: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2013-2551
• http://h30499.www3.hp.com/t5/HP-Security-Research-Blog/Pwn2Own-2013/ba-p/5981157
• http://twitter.com/VUPEN/statuses/309479075385327617
• http://twitter.com/thezdi/statuses/309452625173176320
• http://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/alerts/TA13-134A
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2013/ms13-037
• https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A16317
• https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2013-2551

This content is for defensive security training and authorized validation only.