CVE-2014-7967 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple unspecified vulnerabilities in Google V8 before 3.28.71.15, as used in Google Chrome before 38.0.2125.101, allow attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have other impact via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/02/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-7967 represents a critical security flaw within Google V8 JavaScript engine, which serves as the core execution environment for Google Chrome browser and other applications utilizing the engine. This vulnerability affects V8 versions prior to 3.28.71.15 and specifically impacts Google Chrome versions before 38.0.2125.101, creating a significant attack surface that could be exploited by malicious actors to compromise system integrity and availability. The unspecified nature of the vulnerabilities within the V8 engine highlights the complexity and depth of the underlying issues, suggesting multiple potential attack vectors that could be leveraged for various malicious purposes.
The technical flaw lies within the V8 JavaScript engine's handling of certain JavaScript code execution patterns, where attackers can craft malicious scripts that trigger memory corruption or unexpected behavior in the engine's interpreter. These vulnerabilities typically manifest through improper memory management, buffer overflows, or unsafe memory access patterns that occur during JavaScript code compilation and execution. The V8 engine's Just-In-Time compilation process, which translates JavaScript code into optimized machine code at runtime, creates opportunities for attackers to exploit memory layout assumptions and execution flow control mechanisms. The vulnerabilities could potentially allow attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause the browser to crash, leading to denial of service conditions that disrupt normal user operations and system availability.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-7967 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as the unspecified nature of the vulnerabilities suggests potential for more severe consequences including remote code execution and privilege escalation. When exploited, these vulnerabilities could enable attackers to gain unauthorized access to user systems, potentially leading to data theft, system compromise, or further lateral movement within network environments. The widespread adoption of Google Chrome and V8-based applications means that successful exploitation could affect millions of users simultaneously, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous from a cybersecurity perspective. The attack surface is further expanded by the fact that V8 is used not only in web browsers but also in server-side applications, Node.js environments, and various embedded systems that rely on JavaScript execution.
Organizations and users should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems to mitigate the risks associated with CVE-2014-7967, as the vulnerabilities represent persistent threats that could be actively exploited in the wild. The recommended mitigation strategy involves updating to Google Chrome version 38.0.2125.101 or later, which includes the necessary V8 engine updates that address these unspecified vulnerabilities. Security teams should also implement network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and consider deploying web application firewalls or intrusion detection systems that can identify malicious JavaScript patterns. Additionally, users should be educated about the importance of keeping their browser software updated and should avoid visiting untrusted websites or downloading suspicious content that could trigger these vulnerabilities. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability aligns with various cybersecurity frameworks and standards, including those addressing secure coding practices and vulnerability management processes that require organizations to maintain current security patches and monitor for known threats. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date software components and highlights the need for continuous security assessments to identify and remediate potential attack vectors within complex software ecosystems.