CVE-2015-8478 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple unspecified vulnerabilities in Google V8 before 4.7.80.23, as used in Google Chrome before 47.0.2526.73, 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 • 06/28/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-8478 represents a critical security flaw within Google V8 JavaScript engine, which serves as the core execution environment for Google Chrome browser and numerous other applications. This vulnerability affects V8 versions prior to 4.7.80.23 and consequently impacts Chrome versions before 47.0.2526.73, creating a widespread security concern given Chrome's dominant market share and extensive user base. The unspecified nature of the vulnerabilities within this flaw classification indicates that multiple distinct attack vectors exist, making the issue particularly dangerous as attackers can potentially exploit various weaknesses within the same vulnerable codebase.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from memory management and execution handling within the V8 engine's JavaScript interpretation process. The unspecified vectors suggest that attackers can manipulate the engine's behavior through various code injection techniques, potentially leading to memory corruption issues that could result in crashes or more severe exploitation outcomes. These flaws likely reside in the engine's garbage collection mechanisms, memory allocation routines, or code compilation processes that handle JavaScript execution. The vulnerability's classification as potentially enabling both denial of service and additional impacts indicates that the underlying technical flaw may allow for more sophisticated attacks beyond simple service disruption, potentially including code execution or privilege escalation scenarios.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-8478 extends far beyond individual user systems, affecting web application security and browser stability across millions of devices. Attackers could leverage these unspecified vulnerabilities to craft targeted attacks against Chrome users, potentially through malicious websites or web applications that trigger the vulnerable code paths within V8. The denial of service aspect creates immediate operational concerns where legitimate users could experience browser crashes or system instability, while the potential for additional impacts suggests that sophisticated attackers might be able to execute arbitrary code or gain unauthorized access to system resources. This vulnerability directly impacts the browser's security model and could undermine trust in the overall security ecosystem of Chrome-based applications.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-8478 primarily focus on immediate software updates and system hardening measures. Organizations should prioritize updating to Chrome version 47.0.2526.73 or later, which includes the patched V8 engine version 4.7.80.23. System administrators should implement automated update mechanisms to ensure all users receive the security patches promptly. Network security teams should consider implementing additional monitoring for suspicious web traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's nature aligns with common attack patterns documented in the attack mitigation framework, particularly those targeting browser engine vulnerabilities. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and content security policies to reduce the attack surface. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability would be classified under various security standards including those related to secure coding practices and vulnerability management, with specific references to CWE categories involving memory safety issues and execution control vulnerabilities that are commonly exploited in browser-based attacks.