CVE-2017-11858 in Edge
Summary
by MITRE
ChakraCore and Internet Explorer in Microsoft Windows 7 SP1, Windows Server 2008 and R2 SP1, Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1, Windows Server 2012 and R2, and Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer in Windows 10 Gold, 1511, 1607, 1703, 1709, Windows Server 2016 and Windows Server, version 1709 allows an attacker to gain the same user rights as the current user, due to how Microsoft browsers handle objects in memory, aka "Scripting Engine Memory Corruption Vulnerability". This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2017-11836, CVE-2017-11837, CVE-2017-11838, CVE-2017-11839, CVE-2017-11840, CVE-2017-11841, CVE-2017-11843, CVE-2017-11846, CVE-2017-11859, CVE-2017-11861, CVE-2017-11862, CVE-2017-11866, CVE-2017-11869, CVE-2017-11870, CVE-2017-11871, and CVE-2017-11873.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/23/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-11858 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within Microsoft's ChakraCore JavaScript engine and Internet Explorer browser components. This issue affects multiple Windows operating systems including Windows 7 SP1, Windows Server 2008 and R2 SP1, Windows 8.1, Windows RT 8.1, Windows Server 2012 and R2, and various Windows 10 versions along with Microsoft Edge browser. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of objects in memory during JavaScript execution, creating a pathway for attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the current user. This memory corruption vulnerability specifically impacts the scripting engine's ability to manage allocated memory regions properly, allowing for potential buffer overflows or use-after-free conditions that can be exploited to escalate privileges.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write operations. The flaw manifests when the ChakraCore engine processes certain JavaScript objects that have been improperly managed in memory, leading to potential exploitation through crafted malicious web content or documents. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability by constructing specific JavaScript code or embedding malicious content within Office documents that when opened trigger the vulnerable code path in the browser's scripting engine. The exploitation process typically involves memory corruption techniques that can bypass modern security mitigations such as ASLR and DEP, making this particularly dangerous in targeted attack scenarios.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-11858 is significant as it provides attackers with local privilege escalation capabilities, enabling them to execute code with the same rights as the current user account. This means that if an attacker can convince a user to open a malicious document or visit a compromised website, they can potentially gain access to sensitive data, install malware, or establish persistence within the compromised system. The vulnerability affects a broad range of Microsoft products and operating systems, making it a prime target for mass exploitation campaigns. The attack surface includes not only web browsing scenarios but also document-based attacks where Office applications execute JavaScript within their rendering engines, creating multiple potential entry points for threat actors.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patch deployment through Microsoft's regular security updates, as the primary fix involves correcting the memory management handling within the ChakraCore engine. Organizations should implement network segmentation and browser hardening measures to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also relates to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Windows Command Shell and T1059.001 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, as exploitation typically involves executing malicious code through scripting environments. Additional protective measures include implementing application whitelisting policies, enabling exploit protection features in Windows Defender, and deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious JavaScript execution patterns. Security teams should also consider implementing user education programs to reduce the likelihood of successful social engineering attacks that could lead to exploitation of this vulnerability.