CVE-2016-3214 in Edge
Summary
by MITRE
The Chakra JavaScript engine in Microsoft Edge allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via a crafted web site, aka "Scripting Engine Memory Corruption Vulnerability," a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-3199.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/23/2022
The CVE-2016-3214 vulnerability represents a critical memory corruption flaw within Microsoft Edge's Chakra JavaScript engine, exposing users to significant security risks through web-based attacks. This vulnerability specifically affects the scripting engine's handling of JavaScript objects and memory management, creating opportunities for remote code execution or denial of service conditions. The flaw manifests when malicious websites craft specific JavaScript code that triggers improper memory handling within the Chakra engine, leading to unpredictable behavior that can be exploited by attackers to gain unauthorized system access or disrupt normal browser operations.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory management within the Chakra JavaScript engine's object allocation and deallocation processes. When processing certain JavaScript constructs, the engine fails to properly validate memory boundaries or object references, creating conditions where attacker-controlled input can overwrite critical memory regions. This memory corruption can occur during various JavaScript operations including object creation, property access, or method invocation, particularly when dealing with complex object hierarchies or dynamic code execution. The vulnerability falls under the CWE-125 weakness category, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds read conditions, and aligns with CWE-787 for out-of-bounds write vulnerabilities that can lead to arbitrary code execution.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe threat to Microsoft Edge users as it can be exploited through simple web navigation without requiring any special privileges or user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website. Attackers can leverage this flaw to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the Edge browser process, potentially leading to full system compromise. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond immediate code execution to include denial of service scenarios where memory corruption causes browser crashes or system instability. This makes it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where browser-based attacks can disrupt productivity and potentially serve as initial access vectors for more comprehensive attacks.
The exploitation of CVE-2016-3214 aligns with several techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to initial access and execution phases. Attackers can use this vulnerability as part of a broader attack chain, potentially combining it with other exploits or social engineering techniques to establish persistent access. The vulnerability's characteristics make it suitable for use in drive-by download attacks where visiting a compromised website automatically triggers the exploit. Organizations should consider implementing network-based protections such as web application firewalls and content filtering solutions to mitigate exposure to this vulnerability. Additionally, browser hardening techniques including sandboxing and privilege separation can help limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts, while regular patch management and security updates remain the most effective defense against this and similar vulnerabilities.