📄 Description (English)
Microsoft Internet Explorer Memory Corruption Vulnerability — The Microsoft JScript nd VBScript engines, as used in Internet Explorer and other products, allow attackers to execute remote code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via a crafted web site.
🤖 AI Executive Summary
CVE-2016-0189 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Microsoft JScript and VBScript engines used in Internet Explorer that allows remote code execution through crafted websites. This vulnerability has been actively exploited in the wild, including in targeted attacks, and has publicly available exploit code. Despite being patched in May 2016 (MS16-051), it remains a significant threat to organizations running legacy Internet Explorer installations. The vulnerability carries a CVSS score of 9.0 and is frequently included in exploit kits targeting unpatched systems.
📄 Description (Arabic)
🤖 AI Intelligence Analysis Analyzed: Apr 5, 2026 00:39
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Impact Assessment
This vulnerability poses significant risk to Saudi organizations still running legacy Windows systems with Internet Explorer, particularly in government agencies (NCA-regulated entities), banking institutions under SAMA oversight, and energy sector organizations including ARAMCO and its contractors. Many Saudi government portals and internal applications historically relied on Internet Explorer, making this a persistent threat. Healthcare systems running legacy medical applications dependent on IE are also at risk. The availability of public exploits and inclusion in exploit kits makes this especially dangerous for organizations with incomplete patch management programs.
🏢 Affected Saudi Sectors
Government
Banking
Healthcare
Energy
Telecom
Education
Defense
⚖️ Saudi Risk Score (AI)
8.5
/ 10.0
🔧 Remediation Steps (English)
Immediate Actions:
1. Apply Microsoft Security Bulletin MS16-051 (KB3154070) immediately on all affected systems
2. Disable VBScript execution in Internet Explorer via Group Policy: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Internet Explorer > Internet Control Panel > Security Page > Internet Zone > Allow VBScript to run in Internet Explorer > Disabled
3. Restrict ActiveX controls and scripting in Internet Explorer security zones
Long-term Remediation:
4. Migrate all users from Internet Explorer to modern browsers (Microsoft Edge, Chrome, Firefox)
5. Deploy EMET (Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit) or Windows Defender Exploit Guard on legacy systems
6. Implement network-level URL filtering to block known exploit kit domains
7. Enable Windows Defender Attack Surface Reduction (ASR) rules to block VBScript/JScript execution
Detection Rules:
8. Monitor for suspicious VBScript/JScript execution via Sysmon Event ID 1 with parent process iexplore.exe
9. Deploy IDS/IPS signatures for CVE-2016-0189 exploit patterns
10. Monitor for unusual memory allocation patterns from scripting engines (vbscript.dll, jscript.dll)
🔧 خطوات المعالجة (العربية)
الإجراءات الفورية:
1. تطبيق نشرة الأمان MS16-051 (KB3154070) فوراً على جميع الأنظمة المتأثرة
2. تعطيل تنفيذ VBScript في Internet Explorer عبر سياسة المجموعة: تكوين الكمبيوتر > القوالب الإدارية > مكونات Windows > Internet Explorer > لوحة التحكم في الإنترنت > صفحة الأمان > منطقة الإنترنت > السماح بتشغيل VBScript > معطل
3. تقييد عناصر تحكم ActiveX والبرمجة النصية في مناطق أمان Internet Explorer
المعالجة طويلة المدى:
4. ترحيل جميع المستخدمين من Internet Explorer إلى متصفحات حديثة (Microsoft Edge، Chrome، Firefox)
5. نشر EMET أو Windows Defender Exploit Guard على الأنظمة القديمة
6. تنفيذ تصفية عناوين URL على مستوى الشبكة لحظر نطاقات حزم الاستغلال المعروفة
7. تمكين قواعد تقليل سطح الهجوم في Windows Defender لحظر تنفيذ VBScript/JScript
قواعد الكشف:
8. مراقبة تنفيذ VBScript/JScript المشبوه عبر Sysmon Event ID 1 مع العملية الأم iexplore.exe
9. نشر توقيعات IDS/IPS لأنماط استغلال CVE-2016-0189
10. مراقبة أنماط تخصيص الذاكرة غير العادية من محركات البرمجة النصية
📋 Regulatory Compliance Mapping
🟢 NCA ECC 2024
2-3-1 (Patch Management)
2-5-1 (Vulnerability Management)
2-2-1 (Asset Management)
2-6-1 (Network Security)
🔵 SAMA CSF
3.3.3 (Patch Management)
3.3.4 (Vulnerability Management)
3.1.1 (Cyber Security Risk Management)
3.3.7 (Web Security)
🟡 ISO 27001:2022
A.8.8 (Management of Technical Vulnerabilities)
A.8.9 (Configuration Management)
A.8.23 (Web Filtering)
A.8.7 (Protection Against Malware)
🟣 PCI DSS v4.0
6.3.3 (Install Critical Security Patches)
6.2 (Develop Secure Systems)
5.2 (Deploy Anti-Malware)
11.3 (Penetration Testing)
🔗 References & Sources 0
No references.
📦 Affected Products / CPE 1 entries
Microsoft:Internet Explorer