What is CVE-2012-4792?

CVE-2012-4792 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer, classified under Use After Free. CVSS score: 8.8/10. Published 2012-12-30.

How severe is CVE-2012-4792?

High severity. CVSS v3 base score is 8.8 out of 10.

Is CVE-2012-4792 known to be exploited?

Yes. CVE-2012-4792 is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog (added 2024-07-23), indicating it is being actively exploited. 4 public proof-of-concept repositories are indexed.

Use After Free in Microsoft Internet Explorer

CVE-2012-4792

Use-after-free vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 through 8 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted web site that triggers access to an object that (1) was not properly allocated or (2) is deleted, as demonstrated by a CDwnBindInfo object, and exploited in the wild in December 2012.

Vulnerability class: Use-After-Free

Published 2012-12-30 · last modified 2026-06-16.

CVSS v3 metric

CVSS v3 base score 8.8 (High). Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.

EPSS exploit prediction

EPSS: 0.788 (99.6th percentile), scored 2026-10-17.

High probability of exploitation in the next 30 days — patch promptly. 100th percentile — 99.6% of CVEs in the catalogue have a lower EPSS than this one. How to read EPSS.

EPSS over last 30 days · oldest: 0.788 · newest: 0.788 · change: 0.000

Affected products

Microsoft Internet Explorer — versions 6, 7, 8
Microsoft Windows 7
Microsoft Windows Server 2003
Microsoft Windows Server 2008
Microsoft Windows Vista
Microsoft Windows Xp

Weakness classification (CWE)

CWE-416 — Use After Free

CISA KEV (Known Exploited Vulnerabilities)

This CVE is on the CISA KEV catalog, added on 2024-07-23. CISA KEV inclusion means CISA has confirmed in-the-wild exploitation; US federal agencies are required to remediate within a published due date.

BOD 22-01 due date: 2024-08-13.

Required action: The impacted product is end-of-life and should be disconnected if still in use.

Public proof-of-concept exploits

References

www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA13-008A.html (US Government Resource, Third Party Advisory, third-party-advisory)
docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2013/ms13-008 (vendor-advisory, Patch, Vendor Advisory)
www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/154201 (US Government Resource, Third Party Advisory, third-party-advisory)
github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/blob/master/modules/exploits/windows/bro… (Third Party Advisory)
labs.alienvault.com/labs/index.php/2012/just-another-water-hole-campaign-using-… (Broken Link)
packetstormsecurity.com/files/119168/Microsoft-Internet-Explorer-CDwnBindInfo-O… (VDB Entry, Third Party Advisory)
eromang.zataz.com/2012/12/29/attack-and-ie-0day-informations-used-against-counc… (Third Party Advisory)
oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval:org.mitre.oval:def:16361 (Broken Link, signature, vdb-entry)
www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA13-015A.html (US Government Resource, Third Party Advisory, third-party-advisory)
blog.fireeye.com/research/2012/12/council-foreign-relations-water-hole-attack-d… (Broken Link)

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2012-4792?: CVE-2012-4792 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer, classified under Use After Free. CVSS score: 8.8/10. Published 2012-12-30.
How severe is CVE-2012-4792?: High severity. CVSS v3 base score is 8.8 out of 10.
Is CVE-2012-4792 known to be exploited?: Yes. CVE-2012-4792 is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog (added 2024-07-23), indicating it is being actively exploited. 4 public proof-of-concept repositories are indexed.