Microsoft Internet Explorer Messaging API Information Disclosure Vulnerability
Microsoft · Internet Explorer
End of lifeInternet Explorer reached End of lifeThe vendor no longer ships security fixes. Remove or isolate the product instead of waiting for a patch. on 15 Jun 2022. No patch is coming: remove or isolate it.
The flaw is an information disclosure vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 through 11 and in the Internet Messaging API in Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, and Windows 7 SP1. A remote attacker who lures a user to a crafted web site can determine whether arbitrary files exist on the victim's system, and this requires no authentication but does require the user to visit the page.
Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 through 11 and the Internet Messaging API in Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, and Windows 7 SP1 allow remote attackers to determine the existence of arbitrary files via a crafted web site, aka "Internet Explorer Information Disclosure Vulnerability."
- Exploited
- Yes, in CISA KEV
- Reports
- 0
- Tactics
- 2/15
How an attack unfolds
Based on MITRE ATT&CKA public catalogue of the techniques attackers use, maintained by MITRE. Patchfirst uses it to describe what attackers do with a vulnerability. mappings. Select a step to see the evidence.Exploitation timelineDated milestones for a CVE: when it was disclosed, when exploit code became public, when exploitation was confirmed, and when threat reports named it.
First seen exploited 6 months before it was disclosed.
- First seen exploitedVulnCheck KEV evidence6 mo before
- Disclosedday 0
- Added to CISA KEVEU database agrees+6 yrs
CISA KEV listing is when exploitation was confirmed, not necessarily the first attack.
MITRE ATT&CKA public catalogue of the techniques attackers use, maintained by MITRE. Patchfirst uses it to describe what attackers do with a vulnerability. techniques
2 TechniqueOne specific attacker behaviour in MITRE ATT&CK, such as T1190 “Exploit Public-Facing Application”. IDs with a dot, like T1059.004, are sub-techniques., grouped by TacticThe attacker’s goal at a stage of an attack in MITRE ATT&CK, such as Initial Access or Persistence. Each technique belongs to one or more tactics. in kill-chain order, 2 cited passages 2Initial AccessTA0001
DiscoveryTA0007
Detection
0 rules for this CVE · 27 general rules for its techniquesRules for this CVE
0Sigma ruleAn open, vendor-neutral detection rule for log data. Security teams convert Sigma rules into searches for their own SIEM. that reference CVE-2016-3298 directly.CVE-specific rules are not available in this build. Search SigmaHQ ↗
General rules for this CVE’s techniques
These detect the technique in general, not this specific vulnerability.
Drive-by CompromiseT11893 general rules
File and Directory DiscoveryT108324 general rules
- Turla Group Lateral Movementcriticaltest
- WannaCry Ransomware Activitycriticaltest
- HackTool - PCHunter Executionhightest
- PUA - Seatbelt Executionhightest
- Shell Execution GCC - Linuxhightest
- Shell Execution via Find - Linuxhightest
- Shell Execution via Flock - Linuxhightest
- Shell Execution via Nice - Linuxhightest
Sigma rules © SigmaHQ, Detection Rule License 1.1; linked, not reproduced.
What security researchers reported
Not named in any threat report yetAlso mentioned in 50 community threat pulses (AlienVault OTX)
Weaker evidencePulses are indicator collections that anyone can publish. A mention is not confirmation of exploitation.
- Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 29, 202628 Oct 2026
- Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 28, 202627 Oct 2026
- Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 27, 202626 Oct 2026
- Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 24, 202623 Oct 2026
- Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 23, 202622 Oct 2026
- Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 22, 202621 Oct 2026
- 44 more on OTX