What is CVE-2013-2551?

CVE-2013-2551 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer, classified under Use After Free. CVSS score: 8.8/10. Published 2013-03-11.

How severe is CVE-2013-2551?

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

Is CVE-2013-2551 known to be exploited?

Yes. CVE-2013-2551 is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog (added 2022-03-28), indicating it is being actively exploited. 7 public proof-of-concept repositories are indexed.

Use After Free in Microsoft Internet Explorer

CVE-2013-2551

Use-after-free vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 through 10 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted web site that triggers access to a deleted object, as demonstrated by VUPEN during a Pwn2Own competition at CanSecWest 2013, aka "Internet Explorer Use After Free Vulnerability," a different vulnerability than CVE-2013-1308 and CVE-2013-1309.

Vulnerability class: Use-After-Free

Published 2013-03-11 · 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: 0.739 (99.5th percentile), scored 2026-10-16.

High probability of exploitation in the next 30 days — patch promptly. 99th percentile — 99.5% of CVEs in the catalogue have a lower EPSS than this one. How to read EPSS.

EPSS over last 30 days · oldest: 0.741 · newest: 0.739 · change: -0.002

Affected products

Microsoft Internet Explorer — versions 6, 7, 8
Microsoft Windows 7
Microsoft Windows 8
Microsoft Windows Rt
Microsoft Windows Server 2003
Microsoft Windows Server 2008 — versions r2
Microsoft Windows Server 2012
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 2022-03-28. 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: 2022-04-18.

Required action: Apply updates per vendor instructions.

Known ransomware campaign use: yes.

Public proof-of-concept exploits

References

docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2013/ms13-037 (vendor-advisory, Patch, Vendor Advisory)
www.us-cert.gov/ncas/alerts/TA13-134A (US Government Resource, Third Party Advisory, third-party-advisory)
twitter.com/VUPEN/statuses/309479075385327617 (Broken Link)
twitter.com/thezdi/statuses/309452625173176320 (Not Applicable)
oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval:org.mitre.oval:def:16317 (Broken Link, signature, vdb-entry)
h30499.www3.hp.com/t5/HP-Security-Research-Blog/Pwn2Own-2013/ba-p/5981157 (Third Party Advisory, Broken Link)
134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 (US Government Resource)

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2013-2551?: CVE-2013-2551 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer, classified under Use After Free. CVSS score: 8.8/10. Published 2013-03-11.
How severe is CVE-2013-2551?: High severity. CVSS v3 base score is 8.8 out of 10.
Is CVE-2013-2551 known to be exploited?: Yes. CVE-2013-2551 is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog (added 2022-03-28), indicating it is being actively exploited. 7 public proof-of-concept repositories are indexed.