CVE-2018-6060 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Use after free in WebAudio in Google Chrome prior to 65.0.3325.146 allowed a remote attacker to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/06/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-6060 represents a critical use-after-free flaw within the WebAudio component of Google Chrome browser versions prior to 65.0.3325.146. This issue falls under the CWE-416 category of Use After Free, where memory that has been freed is subsequently accessed, creating potential pathways for arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability specifically affects the WebAudio API implementation which handles audio processing within web applications, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered through standard web browsing activities.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a malicious web page crafts specific HTML content that triggers improper memory management within Chrome's audio processing pipeline. When the WebAudio API processes certain audio data structures, it fails to properly validate memory references, leading to a scenario where freed memory blocks are accessed after being reallocated for other purposes. This memory corruption can be leveraged by remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on the target system with the privileges of the browser user. The flaw demonstrates characteristics consistent with heap-based buffer overflow conditions where the attacker can manipulate memory layout to achieve code execution.
Operationally, this vulnerability poses significant risks to users as it enables remote code execution through standard web browsing activities without requiring user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website. The attack surface is extensive since WebAudio is commonly used in modern web applications, making the exploitation vector highly prevalent. Attackers can craft malicious HTML pages that, when loaded in affected Chrome versions, trigger the use-after-free condition and potentially gain complete control over the victim's system. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, as successful exploitation could lead to command execution capabilities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-6060 primarily focus on immediate browser updates to Chrome version 65.0.3325.146 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the memory management issues in the WebAudio implementation. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all affected systems receive updates promptly. Additional defensive measures include browser hardening configurations that restrict audio processing capabilities, network-based filtering to block malicious content, and user education about avoiding untrusted websites. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual audio processing patterns and memory allocation behaviors that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of regular security updates and proper memory management practices in browser components, particularly those handling multimedia processing which often require complex memory operations that can introduce subtle but dangerous flaws.