CVE-2015-1290 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
The Google V8 engine, as used in Google Chrome before 44.0.2403.89 and QtWebEngineCore in Qt before 5.5.1, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory corruption) or execute arbitrary code via a crafted web site.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/20/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-1290 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within the Google V8 JavaScript engine that powers Google Chrome and QtWebEngineCore implementations. This vulnerability stems from improper handling of JavaScript objects during memory management operations, creating opportunities for remote attackers to manipulate memory structures through maliciously crafted web content. The affected versions include Google Chrome prior to 44.0.2403.89 and QtWebEngineCore versions before 5.5.1, indicating a widespread impact across web browsers and embedded web components that rely on V8 for JavaScript execution.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through specific JavaScript object manipulation patterns that trigger memory corruption conditions within the V8 engine's memory management subsystem. Attackers can craft web pages containing specially designed JavaScript code that, when executed by the vulnerable engine, causes memory corruption through improper object handling during garbage collection or memory allocation processes. This memory corruption can manifest as heap corruption, stack corruption, or other memory management failures that ultimately lead to either denial of service conditions or arbitrary code execution capabilities. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of JavaScript interpretation and native memory management, making it particularly dangerous as it bridges the gap between interpreted script code and low-level memory operations.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-1290 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to include full remote code execution capabilities, making it a severe threat to web browser security. When successfully exploited, this vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the compromised browser process, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The memory corruption can be leveraged to overwrite critical memory locations, redirect execution flow, or inject malicious code into the browser's memory space. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write conditions, both of which are fundamental memory safety issues. The attack surface is particularly broad since it affects not only desktop browsers but also embedded web components in various software applications that utilize QtWebEngineCore.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of the ATT&CK framework, specifically under the techniques related to privilege escalation and code injection. The vulnerability enables initial access through web-based attacks, potentially leading to more sophisticated exploitation patterns including sandbox escapes and privilege escalation. Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of affected browser versions, implementation of web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious JavaScript patterns, and deployment of memory protection mechanisms such as address space layout randomization and data execution prevention. Organizations should also implement browser hardening measures including sandboxing, restricted JavaScript execution, and regular security updates to prevent exploitation of similar memory corruption vulnerabilities that may exist in the same software ecosystem. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date browser security patches and implementing layered defense strategies against sophisticated web-based attacks.