CVE-2013-3893: Microsoft Internet Explorer Resource Management Errors Vulnerability

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2013-3893 is a high (CVSS 9.3) Use After Free vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer. It is known to be exploited: CISA lists it, first on 12-08-2025. EPSS estimates a 87.53% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 99.7% of scored vulnerabilities. 6 public exploits are recorded.

Timeline

1. 18-09-2013
   PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
2. 12-08-2025
   Added to CISA KEVMicrosoft Internet Explorer Resource Management Errors Vulnerability
3. 02-09-2025
   CISA remediation dueApply mitigations per vendor instructions.
4. 22-10-2025
   Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

Description

Use-after-free vulnerability in the SetMouseCapture implementation in mshtml.dll in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 through 11 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via crafted JavaScript strings, as demonstrated by use of an ms-help: URL that triggers loading of hxds.dll.

• CWE-416Use After FreeThe product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory "belongs" to the code that operates on the new pointer.