CVE-2010-3962
Use-after-free vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6, 7, and 8 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via vectors related to Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) token sequences and the clip attribute, aka an "invalid flag reference" issue or "Uninitialized Memory Corruption Vulnerability," as exploited in the wild in November 2010.
do firstApply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
Can a WAF block it? No. This is a use-after-free memory bug. Generic WAF rules do not recognise the input that triggers it; only a rule written for this specific CVE can, and only if the triggering request has a recognisable shape.
Also consider: patch
Based on the weakness type only; no CVE-specific evidence yet. We check Cloudflare, AWS, Google Cloud Armor and Azure; for Akamai, Imperva, Fastly, F5, ask your vendor.
Is CVE-2010-3962 being exploited?
Yes. CVE-2010-3962 appears in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, which means exploitation in the wild has been confirmed and reported. Treat it as active rather than theoretical, and patch it ahead of higher-scoring vulnerabilities that carry no exploitation evidence.
How severe is CVE-2010-3962?
CVE-2010-3962 is rated High with a CVSS score of 8.1. Severity describes how bad exploitation would be, not how likely it is: pair it with exploitation evidence before deciding what to patch first.
Is there a patch for CVE-2010-3962?
Yes. A fix has been recorded for CVE-2010-3962. The vendor advisory is the authority on the exact fixed version — apply it from there rather than from a summary.
What does CVE-2010-3962 affect?
CVE-2010-3962 affects microsoft:internet_explorer. Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.
Exploitation status reflects CISA's KEV catalog as we last synced it. Check the catalog directly.
public exploits
Public exploit code: 3 on Exploit-DB · 1 Metasploit module
- Microsoft Internet Explorer - CSS SetUserClip Memory Corruption (MS10-090) (Metasploit) · remote · 20 Jan 2011 · verified
- Microsoft Internet Explorer - Memory Corruption · dos · 4 Nov 2010 · verified
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 6/7/8 - Memory Corruption · remote · 4 Nov 2010 · verified
- exploit/windows/browser/ms10_090_ie_css_clip · exploit · good
Listed so you can judge urgency, not as a recommendation to run anything. GitHub “proofs of concept” are unvetted: some are fake or carry malware. Exploit-DB marks the entries its staff verified.
cisa ssvc
- exploitation
- active
- automatable
- yes
- technical impact
- total
Assessed by CISA 4 Oct 2025 (SSVC 2.0.3).
timeline
- 4 Nov 2010First public exploit or proof of concept
- 5 Nov 2010Published · 2 days later
- 4 Oct 2025CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation active · 5,446 days (about 15 years) later
- 6 Oct 2025Added to CISA KEV (exploited in the wild) · 2 days later
- 22 Oct 2025CVE record last updated · 16 days later
- 27 Oct 2025CISA remediation due date (US federal agencies) · 5 days later
- 2 Nov 2026Analysed by vulneraibility.com · 372 days (about 1 year) later
- Advisoryus-cert.gov /cas/techalerts/TA10-348A.html
- Advisorydocs.microsoft.com /en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2010/ms10-090
- Advisorykb.cert.org /vuls/id/899748
- Advisorysecunia.com /advisories/42091
- Exploitexploit-db.com /exploits/15421
- Exploitexploit-db.com /exploits/15418
- Linksecurityfocus.com /bid/44536
- Linkvupen.com /english/advisories/2010/2880
Show 7 more
- Linkmicrosoft.com /technet/security/advisory/2458511.mspx
- Linksecuritytracker.com /id?1024676
- Linksymantec.com /connect/blogs/new-ie-0-day-used-targeted-attacks
- Linkexchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com /vulnerabilities/62962
- Linkblogs.technet.com /b/msrc/archive/2010/11/02/microsoft-releases-security-advisory-2458511.aspx
- Linkoval.cisecurity.org /repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A12279
- Linkcisa.gov /known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2010-3962
sources
- CVE List (CVE.org): description, affected versions, references; CVE Terms of Use
- NVD: CVSS and CPE data
- CISA KEV catalog: exploitation, date added, due date
- CISA Vulnrichment (ADP): SSVC decision points
- FIRST EPSS: exploit probability and percentile
- Exploit-DB: published exploits
- Metasploit Framework: exploit and scanner modules
- Summary, impact and triage tags: written by our AI analysis pipeline from the sources above. Check them against the sources.