CVE-2010-1506 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
The Google V8 bindings in Google Chrome before 4.1.249.1059 allow attackers to cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unknown vectors.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/26/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-1506 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within the Google V8 JavaScript engine bindings used in Google Chrome browsers prior to version 4.1.249.1059. This issue resides in the V8 engine's interaction with Chrome's JavaScript runtime environment, specifically affecting how the engine handles certain JavaScript objects and memory management operations. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and memory handling mechanisms within the V8 binding layer that processes JavaScript code executed within the browser context. Attackers can exploit this weakness through carefully crafted malicious web content that triggers specific memory corruption patterns when the V8 engine attempts to process certain JavaScript constructs.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through memory corruption vectors that manipulate how JavaScript objects are allocated and managed within the V8 engine's memory space. When Chrome processes malicious JavaScript code containing specific patterns, the V8 bindings fail to properly validate memory access operations, leading to unpredictable memory corruption states. This corruption can manifest through buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or other memory management errors that occur during JavaScript object lifecycle management. The vulnerability's impact is amplified because it operates within the browser's JavaScript execution context, where attackers can leverage web-based attacks to deliver malicious payloads through standard web pages or web applications that utilize JavaScript functionality. The flaw essentially allows attackers to manipulate memory addresses and object references in ways that can cause the browser to crash or behave unpredictably, creating potential for more severe exploitation vectors.
The operational impact of CVE-2010-1506 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to potentially enable more sophisticated attack vectors including remote code execution. When memory corruption occurs in the V8 engine, it can lead to browser crashes that may be leveraged by attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems. This vulnerability particularly affects users running Chrome versions before the patched release, making it a significant concern for organizations and individuals who have not updated their browsers. The attack surface is broad since JavaScript is ubiquitous on the web, and the vulnerability can be triggered through standard web browsing activities without requiring special privileges or user interaction beyond visiting malicious websites. The memory corruption issues can result in complete browser instability, application crashes, and in some cases, allow attackers to gain unauthorized access to system resources through exploitation of the underlying memory management flaws.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily focus on immediate browser updates to versions containing the necessary patches, specifically Chrome 4.1.249.1059 and later releases. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management policies to ensure all browsers are updated promptly when security patches become available. Additional defensive measures include implementing web content filtering solutions, deploying sandboxing technologies, and utilizing browser security extensions that can help detect and block malicious JavaScript patterns. From a security architecture perspective, this vulnerability highlights the importance of memory safety mechanisms and proper input validation in JavaScript engines, aligning with common weakness enumerations such as CWE-121 for buffer overflow conditions and CWE-125 for out-of-bounds read errors. Security professionals should also consider implementing network-based intrusion detection systems that can identify patterns associated with known exploit signatures for this vulnerability, particularly in environments where browser-based attacks are a primary concern. The incident underscores the critical need for continuous security monitoring and proactive vulnerability management in web browser environments.