Microsoft Internet Explorer Use-After-Free (CVE-2010-0806)

Historical catalog analysis: CISA added this entry on May 20, 2026. The entry reflects catalog information retrieved on August 31, 2026, not a snapshot archived on the inclusion date. Check current vendor guidance before acting.

What the vulnerability is

CVE-2010-0806 is a use-after-free vulnerability (CWE-399) affecting Microsoft Internet Explorer. This flaw occurs when the application attempts to access an invalid pointer after the associated object has been deleted. A remote attacker could leverage this memory corruption to execute arbitrary code on the target system.

Exposure and applicability

This vulnerability applies to environments where Microsoft Internet Explorer is still deployed. Because the impacted product may be end-of-life (EoL) or end-of-service (EoS), it likely lacks modern security updates, increasing the risk profile for legacy systems that cannot be easily migrated. The primary exposure path is via remote vectors that trigger the invalid pointer access.

Remediation priorities

Our analysis suggests a prioritized approach to reducing this exposure, focusing on the removal of unsupported software:

1. Decommissioning (Highest Priority): Given the EoL/EoS status of the product, the most effective reduction in risk is to discontinue use of Internet Explorer entirely and migrate to supported browsers.
2. Vendor Mitigations: For systems where immediate decommissioning is not feasible, administrators should apply mitigations according to vendor instructions.
3. Cloud Service Alignment: Organizations utilizing cloud services should align their remediation efforts with BOD 22-01 guidance where applicable.

How to validate remediation

Verification must move beyond simple version checks to ensure the attack surface is actually removed:

• Asset Inventory Validation: Confirm through endpoint discovery tools that Internet Explorer binaries are no longer present or have been disabled across the environment.
• Configuration Audit: Verify that browser redirection policies are in place to prevent users from launching the affected software.
• Mitigation Testing: If vendor mitigations were applied instead of decommissioning, defenders should verify the specific configuration changes required by the vendor are active on the host.

Limits and open questions

Applying a patch or mitigation does not guarantee total immunity from other memory corruption flaws inherent in legacy browsers. A significant residual risk remains if the software is kept for compatibility reasons, as EoL products generally do not receive new security updates to address emerging threats. It remains unknown whether this specific vulnerability has been utilized in known ransomware campaigns.

Source and editorial note

CVE-2010-0806: Microsoft Internet Explorer Use-After-Free Vulnerability · Source date: May 20, 2026 · Retrieved August 31, 2026.

Material facts are tied to the cited primary source. Recommendations are independent defensive analysis unless attributed to the source. Confirm consequential decisions against current authoritative guidance.

Archive date: May 23, 2026. The displayed post date is assigned three days after the source date to organize this retrospective archive; it does not mean this site published the analysis then. First published by this site: September 11, 2026 at 00:11 UTC.

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