CVE-2012-4969: Microsoft Internet Explorer Use-After-Free Vulnerability

CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities

Name

Microsoft Internet Explorer Use-After-Free Vulnerability

Vendor

Microsoft

Product

Internet Explorer

Added to the catalog

2022-06-08

Due date for US federal agencies

2022-06-22

Catalog version

2026.10.30

Microsoft Internet Explorer contains a use-after-free vulnerability that allows remote attackers to execute code via a crafted web site.

Required action (CISA)

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

Ransomware use: CISA does not mark known use of this vulnerability in ransomware campaigns.

Links in CISA's notes

• https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-4969

Read on 2026-11-02T23:39:54.475Z under licence cisa-kev-cc0@b0067899 from https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json

NVD analysis

Status

Analyzed

Published

2012-09-18T10:39:14.147

Last modified

2026-06-16T23:45:58.897

Weaknesses

CWE-416

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.

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.rb (Broken 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/2757760 (Patch, Vendor Advisory)
• http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/480095 (Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource)
• http://www.securitytracker.com/id?1027538 (Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry)
• http://www.securityweek.com/new-internet-explorer-zero-day-being-exploited-wild (Third Party Advisory)
• http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA12-255A.html (Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource)
• http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA12-262A.html (Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource)
• http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA12-265A.html (Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource)
• https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A15729 (Third 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.rb (Broken 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/2757760 (Patch, Vendor Advisory)
• http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/480095 (Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource)
• http://www.securitytracker.com/id?1027538 (Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry)
• http://www.securityweek.com/new-internet-explorer-zero-day-being-exploited-wild (Third Party Advisory)
• http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA12-255A.html (Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource)
• http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA12-262A.html (Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource)
• http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA12-265A.html (Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource)
• https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A15729 (Third Party Advisory)
• https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2012-4969 (US Government Resource)

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.

Read on 2026-11-02T23:41:28.906Z under licence nvd-api-terms-of-use@ff2a5288 from https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?cveId=CVE-2012-4969

CVE record

Assigner

mitre

State

PUBLISHED

Published

2012-09-18T10:00:00.000Z

Updated

2025-10-22T00:05:46.392Z

Problem types

n/a

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.

References

• TA12-265A
• VU#480095
• oval:org.mitre.oval:def:15729
• TA12-262A
• http://www.securityweek.com/new-internet-explorer-zero-day-being-exploited-wild
• http://technet.microsoft.com/security/advisory/2757760
• TA12-255A
• http://blog.vulnhunt.com/index.php/2012/09/17/ie-execcommand-fuction-use-after-free-vulnerability-0day_en/
• http://dev.metasploit.com/redmine/projects/framework/repository/entry/modules/exploits/windows/browser/ie_execcommand_uaf.rb
• 1027538
• http://eromang.zataz.com/2012/09/16/zero-day-season-is-really-not-over-yet/

Read on 2026-11-03T00:24:17.590Z under licence cve-terms-of-use@81bfa2f3 from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/main/cves/2012/4xxx/CVE-2012-4969.json

Defensive techniques (MITRE D3FEND)

D3FEND maps these defensive techniques to the weakness (CWE) that NVD lists for this CVE, through the digital artifacts the weakness affects. D3FEND does not say they stop this vulnerability.

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