CVE-2009-3672
CriticalPublic exploitMicrosoft Internet Explorer 6 and 7 does not properly handle objects in memory that (1) were not properly initialized or (2) are deleted, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via vectors involving a call to the getElementsByTagName method for the STYLE tag…
Published Dec 2, 2009 · Updated Apr 22, 2026
Key Facts
Patch immediately- CVE-2009-3672 is a critical-severity vulnerability (CVSS 9.3 v2) affecting Internet Explorer (Microsoft).
- It is not listed in any known-exploited vulnerabilities catalog. Public exploit code is available.
- EPSS estimates a 72% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
- No fixed version is listed yet; check the vendor advisory for mitigations.
- Brandefense priority: patch immediately, because it is very likely to be exploited soon.
CVSS v2
9.3
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
EPSS (30-day exploit likelihood)
72%
Higher than 99.4% of all scored CVEs
Exploited in the wild
No known
Not in a known-exploited catalog
Public exploit code
Available
Proof-of-concept or weaponized module
Get the full CVE-2009-3672 brief as a PDF
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Description
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 and 7 does not properly handle objects in memory that (1) were not properly initialized or (2) are deleted, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via vectors involving a call to the getElementsByTagName method for the STYLE tag name, selection of the single element in the returned list, and a change to the outerHTML property of this element, related to Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and mshtml.dll, aka "HTML Object Memory Corruption Vulnerability." NOTE: some of these details are obtained from third party information. NOTE: this issue was originally assigned CVE-2009-4054, but Microsoft assigned a duplicate identifier of CVE-2009-3672. CVE consumers should use this identifier instead of CVE-2009-4054.
Affected Products
3 affected entries in total| Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| Internet ExplorerMicrosoft | 6, 6-sp1, 7 | n/a |
Timeline
Publicly disclosed
Dec 2, 2009
Last updated
Apr 22, 2026
Weakness Type
- CWE-94 Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')
References
- advisory37448
- advisoryhttp://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/advisory/977981.mspx
- advisoryADV-2009-3301
- exploitMSF ms09_072_style_object.rb
- exploitExploitDB-16547
FAQ
Common Questions.
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 and 7 does not properly handle objects in memory that (1) were not properly initialized or (2) are deleted, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via vectors involving a call to the getElementsByTagName method for the STYLE tag name, selection of the single element in th…
Affected: Internet Explorer (Microsoft) versions 6, 6-sp1, 7. The full list is in the CVE brief.
It is not listed in any known-exploited vulnerabilities catalog.
No, it is not currently listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
Public exploit code is available.
No fixed version is listed yet; check the vendor advisory for mitigations.
Brandefense priority: patch immediately, because it is very likely to be exploited soon.
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