CVE-2016-3377 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-2016-3350.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/16/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-3377 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within Microsoft Edge's Chakra JavaScript engine, which serves as the core execution environment for JavaScript code in the browser. This vulnerability specifically affects the scripting engine's handling of memory management during JavaScript execution, creating opportunities for malicious actors to exploit memory corruption patterns that can lead to arbitrary code execution or system crashes. The Chakra engine is responsible for compiling and executing JavaScript code in Microsoft Edge, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to compromise the browser's security boundaries and gain unauthorized access to user systems.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory handling within the Chakra JavaScript engine's memory management subsystem. When processing crafted JavaScript code on malicious websites, the engine fails to properly validate memory operations, leading to buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or other memory corruption scenarios. These memory corruption issues occur during the interpretation and execution of JavaScript code, particularly when dealing with complex object manipulations or memory allocations that exceed expected boundaries. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of JavaScript interpretation and low-level memory management, where the engine's memory allocation strategies do not adequately protect against malformed input that could manipulate memory layout and execution flow.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-3377 extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to encompass full system compromise capabilities for remote attackers. Successful exploitation can enable attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the Edge browser process, potentially leading to complete system compromise through privilege escalation vectors. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be triggered through ordinary web browsing activities, requiring no special user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website. This makes it an attractive target for drive-by download attacks, where users are unknowingly compromised simply by accessing compromised web content. The memory corruption patterns exploited in this vulnerability align with common attack vectors described in the attack techniques catalog, specifically relating to memory corruption exploitation methods that have been documented in various threat actor campaigns.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of the broader ATT&CK framework where it maps to techniques involving exploitation of memory corruption vulnerabilities for code execution. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read) and CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write) demonstrates its fundamental nature as a memory safety issue that has been consistently exploited in browser environments. Mitigation strategies should include immediate patch deployment through Microsoft's regular security updates, browser hardening measures such as enabling address space layout randomization and data execution prevention, and network-level protections like web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious JavaScript patterns. Organizations should also implement security awareness training to reduce the risk of users encountering malicious sites, as well as network monitoring to detect anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's similarity to other memory corruption issues in web browsers underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing layered defense strategies to protect against sophisticated exploitation techniques that leverage these fundamental memory management flaws.