Microsoft Internet Explorer Use-After-Free Vulnerability
n/a — n/a
Use-after-free vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6, 6 SP1, 7, and 8 on Windows 2000 SP4; Windows XP SP2 and SP3; Windows Server 2003 SP2; Windows Vista Gold, SP1, and SP2; Windows Server 2008 Gold, SP2, and R2; and Windows 7 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by accessing a pointer associated with a deleted object, related to incorrectly initialized memory and improper handling of objects in memory, as exploited in the wild in December 2009 and January 2010 during Operation Aurora, aka "HTML Object Memory Corruption Vulnerability."
8.8
91.9%
Vector breakdown
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- Published
- Jan 15, 2010
- Modified
- May 21, 2026
- Added to KEV
- May 20, 2026
- Federal patch due
- Jun 3, 2026
CISA required action
Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
Weakness classification
Proof-of-concept & exploitation references
Weaponization
Public repositories whose name or description references CVE-2010-0249, found via a live GitHub search at request time. These are community-sourced signals, not a verified working exploit - cross-check each one before relying on it, and treat higher star counts and recent activity as (weak) corroboration, not proof.
No public GitHub repositories referencing CVE-2010-0249 were found at last check. Absence here is not proof no exploit exists - see the references below for vendor advisories and write-ups.
References
Frequently asked questions
What is CVE-2010-0249?
Use-after-free vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6, 6 SP1, 7, and 8 on Windows 2000 SP4; Windows XP SP2 and SP3; Windows Server 2003 SP2; Windows Vista Gold, SP1, and SP2; Windows Server 2008 Gold, SP2, and R2; and Windows 7 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by accessing a pointer associated with a deleted object, related to incorrectly initialized memory and improper handling of objects in memory, as exploited in the wild in December 2009 and January 2010 during Operation Aurora, aka "HTML Object Memory Corruption Vulnerability."
How severe is CVE-2010-0249?
CVE-2010-0249 has a CVSS base score of 8.8 out of 10 (CVSS 3.1).
Is CVE-2010-0249 actively exploited in the wild?
Yes. CVE-2010-0249 is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added May 20, 2026, meaning CISA has confirmed evidence of active exploitation.
What is the EPSS score for CVE-2010-0249?
91.9% - meaning FIRST.org's EPSS model estimates a 91.9% probability this vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within 30 days (100% percentile among all scored CVEs).
What type of vulnerability is CVE-2010-0249?
CVE-2010-0249 is classified under CWE-416 (CWE-416 Use After Free).
Cross-checked against
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