CVE-2016-3679 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple unspecified vulnerabilities in Google V8 before 4.9.385.33, as used in Google Chrome before 49.0.2623.108, 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 • 07/11/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-3679 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 4.9.385.33 and manifests in Google Chrome versions before 49.0.2623.108, creating a significant attack surface that could be exploited by malicious actors to compromise system integrity. The unspecified nature of the vulnerabilities within this affected version range indicates a broad class of potential weaknesses that could be leveraged for various malicious purposes.
The technical flaw resides in the V8 JavaScript engine's handling of certain JavaScript code execution patterns, where memory management and object allocation mechanisms fail to properly validate inputs or handle edge cases. These vulnerabilities typically involve memory corruption issues that can be triggered through carefully crafted JavaScript code executed within the browser environment. The lack of specific details about the exact vector of exploitation suggests that multiple attack paths may exist, potentially including heap corruption, use-after-free conditions, or other memory safety issues that are particularly dangerous in JavaScript engines due to their complex memory management requirements.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-3679 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as the vulnerability may enable attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems. This represents a serious security concern given that JavaScript engines operate within the browser context and have access to system resources through various APIs. The potential for remote code execution through these vulnerabilities means that attackers could compromise user systems simply by visiting malicious websites or interacting with compromised web content. Such vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous in the context of modern web browsing where users frequently encounter untrusted content from various sources.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-119, which addresses weaknesses in memory management and buffer overflow conditions that can lead to arbitrary code execution. The attack surface is consistent with ATT&CK technique T1059.007, which describes the use of JavaScript and VBScript for execution within web browsers. Organizations running affected versions of Google Chrome and applications based on V8 are at significant risk, as these vulnerabilities can be exploited through social engineering campaigns that direct users to malicious websites. The remediation strategy requires immediate patching of affected systems, with security teams implementing comprehensive monitoring for exploitation attempts and ensuring that all browser installations are updated to versions that include the V8 security fixes. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date browser software and implementing robust patch management processes to protect against known exploits in widely used software components.