# CVE-2020-1380: Microsoft Internet Explorer Scripting Engine Memory Corruption

> Remote code execution via memory corruption in Internet Explorer's scripting engine allows attackers to take control of the system.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:P/RL:O/RC:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 3 Nov 2021 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 17 Aug 2020
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-vvf5-mpj5-q4jf

## What is CVE-2020-1380?

CVE-2020-1380 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer, published on 17 Aug 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A remote code execution vulnerability exists in the way that the scripting engine handles objects in memory in Internet Explorer. The vulnerability could corrupt memory in such a way that an attacker could execute arbitrary code in the context of the current user. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could gain the same user rights as the current user. If the current user is logged on with administrative user rights, an attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could take control of an affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights.
In a web-based attack scenario, an attacker could host a specially crafted website that is designed to exploit the vulnerability through Internet Explorer and then convince a user to view the website. An attacker could also embed an ActiveX control marked "safe for initialization" in an application or Microsoft Office document that hosts the IE rendering engine. The attacker could also take advantage of compromised websites and websites that accept or host user-provided content or advertisements. These websites could contain specially crafted content that could exploit the vulnerability.
The security update addresses the vulnerability by modifying how the scripting engine handles objects in memory.

Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-1380?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Microsoft Internet Explorer.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-1380?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-1380 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 3 May 2022.

## Is CVE-2020-1380 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2020-1380 in the wild since at least 3 Nov 2021.

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Internet Explorer

- [CVE-2014-1776](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-1776/): Microsoft Internet Explorer Memory Corruption (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-27085](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-27085/): Microsoft Internet Explorer Remote Code Execution (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2017-0222](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-0222/): Microsoft Internet Explorer Remote Code Execution (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2017-0210](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-0210/): Microsoft Internet Explorer Privilege Escalation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2017-0149](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-0149/): Microsoft Internet Explorer Memory Corruption (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-1380 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-1380 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer, published on 17 Aug 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2020-1380 in the wild since at least 3 Nov 2021.

Affected product: Microsoft Internet Explorer. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-1380/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-1380/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-1380
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-1380
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-1380

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-1380/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.