CVE-2015-6170 in Edge
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Edge allows remote attackers to gain privileges via a crafted web site, aka "Microsoft Browser Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/29/2022
The Microsoft Edge browser vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-6170 represents a critical elevation of privilege flaw that enables remote attackers to execute malicious code with elevated system privileges through carefully crafted web content. This vulnerability specifically affects Microsoft Edge versions prior to the security patches released in 2015, creating a pathway for adversaries to bypass standard security boundaries and escalate their access level within the targeted system. The flaw stems from improper handling of certain web content within the browser's rendering engine, allowing malicious websites to exploit memory management inconsistencies and execute arbitrary code with higher privileges than intended.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the exploitation of memory corruption issues within Edge's JavaScript engine and web rendering components. Attackers can craft malicious web pages that trigger buffer overflows or use-after-free conditions in the browser's memory management systems, which then allows them to execute malicious code with the privileges of the current user. This particular vulnerability operates under CWE-119, which catalogs memory safety issues including buffer overflows and improper memory access patterns. The exploitation process typically involves loading a malicious webpage that leverages the browser's scripting engine to manipulate memory locations and ultimately execute shellcode with elevated privileges.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-6170 extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it provides attackers with a persistent foothold that can be leveraged for further compromise of the affected system. Once successfully exploited, the vulnerability allows attackers to install malware, modify system files, access sensitive data, and potentially establish backdoors for continued access. The attack vector requires only a user to visit a malicious website, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise environments where users may inadvertently navigate to compromised sites. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which describes the use of local privilege escalation techniques, and demonstrates how browser-based attacks can be weaponized to achieve system-level compromise. Organizations running vulnerable versions of Microsoft Edge face significant risk of data breaches, system compromise, and potential lateral movement within their networks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-6170 primarily focus on immediate patch deployment and browser security hardening measures. Microsoft released security updates that addressed the underlying memory management issues in Edge's rendering engine, requiring organizations to deploy these patches promptly across all affected systems. Additionally, implementing browser security policies such as disabling unnecessary scripting features, restricting access to potentially malicious websites through content filtering solutions, and maintaining updated antivirus signatures can help reduce the attack surface. Network-level protections including web proxies with content filtering capabilities and intrusion detection systems can provide additional layers of defense against exploitation attempts. Security teams should also implement monitoring solutions to detect suspicious browser activity and user behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts, while maintaining regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in other browser components and applications.