CVE-2017-15415 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Incorrect serialization in IPC in Google Chrome prior to 63.0.3239.84 allowed a remote attacker to leak the value of a pointer via a crafted HTML page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/04/2023
This vulnerability resides in the inter-process communication mechanisms of google chrome browser and represents a critical information disclosure flaw that could enable remote attackers to extract sensitive pointer values from memory. The issue stems from improper serialization handling within chrome's ipc subsystem where crafted html content can trigger memory corruption patterns that inadvertently expose pointer values to malicious actors. The vulnerability affects chrome versions prior to 63.0.3239.84 and demonstrates a classic case of memory safety issues in browser components that handle cross-process communication. According to cwe taxonomy, this maps to cwe-248, an unchecked exception, and potentially cwe-125, out-of-bounds read, when considering the memory access patterns involved in pointer value leakage. The attack vector requires a remote html page that leverages chrome's rendering engine to execute malicious code within the ipc context, allowing for memory inspection and pointer value extraction that could aid in further exploitation attempts.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits chrome's message passing architecture where objects are serialized for transmission between different processes. When chrome processes crafted html content containing specific javascript or web api calls, it triggers an ipc serialization routine that fails to properly validate or sanitize memory references. This allows the attacker's malicious page to observe memory addresses that should remain private and protected within chrome's memory space. The flaw occurs during the serialization process where pointer values are not adequately masked or protected, creating a window where memory contents can be indirectly accessed through the browser's normal operation. This type of vulnerability represents a fundamental breakdown in chrome's memory protection mechanisms and demonstrates how seemingly benign html content can be weaponized to extract sensitive information from the browser's memory layout.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure as it provides attackers with valuable memory layout information that can be used to construct more sophisticated attacks. Pointer value leakage can reveal heap organization, memory addresses of critical browser components, and other sensitive data that would normally be protected from access by user-level code. This information can be leveraged to bypass security mechanisms such as address space layout randomization, stack canaries, and other exploit mitigations that rely on memory layout unpredictability. Attackers could combine this information with other vulnerabilities to achieve arbitrary code execution or privilege escalation within the browser environment. The vulnerability affects all chrome users who visit malicious websites and can be exploited through standard web browsing without requiring any special privileges or user interaction beyond visiting the compromised page.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of chrome installations to version 63.0.3239.84 or later where the serialization flaws have been addressed. Organizations should implement comprehensive browser update policies to ensure all chrome installations are current with security patches. Additional protective measures include deploying web application firewalls that can detect and block known malicious html patterns, implementing content security policies that restrict script execution, and using browser hardening techniques such as disabling unnecessary browser features and plugins. From an operational security perspective, organizations should monitor for exploitation attempts through network traffic analysis and implement intrusion detection systems that can identify patterns associated with pointer value leakage attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security assessments of browser components and adherence to secure coding practices in multi-process applications, particularly those handling sensitive data through inter-process communication channels. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of memory safety in modern browser architectures and the need for continuous security testing of complex software systems that rely heavily on cross-process communication.