CVE-2020-0968
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems by exploiting a memory corruption flaw in Internet Explorer's scripting engine. Attackers can compromise systems by tricking users into visiting malicious websites. This primarily affects users running vulnerable versions of Internet Explorer on Windows systems.
💻 Affected Systems
- Internet Explorer
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system compromise with attacker gaining full control over the victim's machine, enabling data theft, ransomware deployment, or lateral movement within networks.
Likely Case
Malware installation leading to data exfiltration, credential theft, or system disruption through drive-by download attacks.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper patching, network segmentation, and browser security controls preventing successful exploitation.
🎯 Exploit Status
This vulnerability has been actively exploited in the wild according to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Attackers can exploit it without authentication through malicious web content.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Security updates released in April 2020 (e.g., KB4550961 for Windows 10)
Vendor Advisory: https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-0968
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Apply the latest Windows security updates from Microsoft Update. 2. For enterprise environments, deploy patches through WSUS or SCCM. 3. Restart systems after patch installation.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable Internet Explorer scripting
windowsConfigure Internet Explorer to disable scripting via security zones
Set Internet Options > Security > Custom Level > Scripting > Active scripting = Disable
Use Enhanced Security Configuration
windowsEnable Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration (IE ESC) on servers
Server Manager > Local Server > IE Enhanced Security Configuration = On
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Block Internet Explorer from accessing untrusted websites using network proxies or web filters
- Migrate to Microsoft Edge or other modern browsers that are not affected by this vulnerability
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Internet Explorer version and compare with patched versions in Microsoft advisoryCheck Version:
wmic datafile where name="C:\\Program Files\\Internet Explorer\\iexplore.exe" get versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify Windows Update history contains the April 2020 security updates or check system version is beyond vulnerable builds📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Internet Explorer crash logs with memory access violations
- Windows Event Logs showing unexpected process creation from iexplore.exe
Network Indicators:
- Outbound connections from Internet Explorer to suspicious domains
- HTTP requests to known exploit kits
SIEM Query:
source="Windows Security" AND event_id=4688 AND parent_process_name="iexplore.exe" AND process_name NOT IN ("explorer.exe", "cmd.exe")