CVE-2010-2646 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Google Chrome before 5.0.375.99 does not properly isolate sandboxed IFRAME elements, which has unspecified impact and remote attack vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/20/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-2646 represents a critical sandboxing flaw in Google Chrome browsers prior to version 5.0.375.99. This issue specifically targets the browser's sandboxing mechanism designed to isolate potentially malicious content from the underlying operating system and other browser processes. The sandboxing architecture in Chrome relies on creating isolated execution environments for different parts of web content, particularly for handling untrusted data from external sources. When the sandbox fails to properly isolate sandboxed IFRAME elements, it creates a pathway for attackers to potentially escape these protective boundaries and execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges.
The technical flaw manifests in the improper handling of IFRAME elements within Chrome's security architecture. IFRAMES are HTML elements that embed another document within the current HTML document, often used to integrate content from different domains. In Chrome's sandboxed environment, these elements should be strictly isolated from the main browser process and the underlying operating system. However, the vulnerability allows for potential information disclosure or code execution through maliciously crafted IFRAME content that can bypass these isolation mechanisms. This weakness is particularly concerning because IFRAMEs are commonly used across the web for embedding advertisements, social media widgets, and third-party content, making exploitation opportunities widespread.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it represents a fundamental breakdown in Chrome's security model that could enable attackers to perform remote code execution or access sensitive system resources. Attackers could leverage this flaw by hosting malicious content on compromised websites or through phishing campaigns that deliver specially crafted IFRAME content designed to exploit the sandbox escape mechanism. The unspecified impact mentioned in the CVE description suggests that the vulnerability could potentially allow for various attack vectors including data theft, system compromise, or further exploitation of other vulnerabilities within the browser or operating system. This vulnerability directly relates to CWE-276, which addresses improper privilege management and insufficient sandboxing, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and T1070 for indicator removal on host.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability required immediate browser updates to version 5.0.375.99 or later, which implemented proper sandbox isolation for IFRAME elements. Organizations should have enforced mandatory browser updates through enterprise management systems and deployed security patches as soon as they became available. Additional protective measures included implementing web application firewalls, content filtering solutions, and strict browser security policies that restricted IFRAME usage from untrusted sources. Network monitoring systems should have been configured to detect suspicious traffic patterns associated with exploitation attempts, and security teams needed to maintain awareness of related vulnerabilities in the browser ecosystem. The incident highlighted the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date browser security patches and demonstrated how sandboxing failures could undermine fundamental security assumptions in modern web browsers.