CVE-2014-3152 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Integer underflow in the LCodeGen::PrepareKeyedOperand function in arm/lithium-codegen-arm.cc in Google V8 before 3.25.28.16, as used in Google Chrome before 35.0.1916.114, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via vectors that trigger a negative key value.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/20/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-3152 represents a critical integer underflow flaw within the Google V8 JavaScript engine's ARM architecture code generation component. This issue specifically affects the LCodeGen::PrepareKeyedOperand function located in the arm/lithium-codegen-arm.cc file, which is part of the V8 engine's compilation pipeline for ARM-based processors. The vulnerability exists in V8 versions prior to 3.25.28.16 and impacts Google Chrome versions before 35.0.1916.114, making it a widespread concern across numerous browser installations. The flaw occurs during the code generation phase when processing keyed operands, which are operations that involve array indexing or object property access in JavaScript code.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the ARM code generation logic where negative key values are not adequately handled. When malicious JavaScript code triggers the LCodeGen::PrepareKeyedOperand function with a negative key value, the integer underflow condition occurs, causing the system to process invalid memory addresses or execute unintended code paths. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-191, Integer Underflow (Wrap or Wraparound), which is classified as a fundamental arithmetic error that can lead to severe security implications. The underflow condition essentially causes the signed integer to wrap around to a large positive value, potentially leading to memory corruption or arbitrary code execution depending on the specific context of the overflow.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-3152 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as the vulnerability could potentially enable remote code execution in certain circumstances. Attackers can craft malicious JavaScript payloads that exploit this integer underflow to manipulate memory layout and execute arbitrary code on vulnerable systems. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that an attacker can deliver malicious content through web pages, making it particularly dangerous in the context of web browsers where users frequently encounter untrusted content. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for JavaScript and represents a classic example of a code injection vector that can be leveraged for privilege escalation or system compromise. The denial of service aspect occurs when the integer underflow causes the browser to crash or become unstable, while the potential for unspecified other impacts suggests the possibility of more severe consequences including information disclosure or complete system compromise.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-3152 primarily involve immediate patching of affected V8 engine versions and corresponding Chrome browser releases. Organizations should prioritize updating to V8 version 3.25.28.16 or later and Chrome version 35.0.1916.114 and higher to eliminate the vulnerability. Additionally, browser vendors should implement runtime protections such as stack canaries, address space layout randomization, and other exploit mitigations to reduce the effectiveness of potential exploitation attempts. Security teams should monitor for any reported exploitation attempts and consider implementing content security policies to limit the execution of potentially malicious JavaScript code. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of robust input validation in compiler and interpreter components, particularly in systems that process untrusted input from web applications, and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of code generation and optimization routines within JavaScript engines.