CVE-2018-6080 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Lack of access control checks in Instrumentation in Google Chrome prior to 65.0.3325.146 allowed a remote attacker who had compromised the renderer process to obtain memory metadata from privileged processes .
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/20/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-6080 represents a critical access control flaw within Google Chrome's instrumentation framework that existed prior to version 65.0.3325.146. This weakness resides in the privileged process memory management subsystem where proper access control mechanisms were insufficiently implemented. The vulnerability specifically affects the communication channels between renderer processes and privileged processes within the browser architecture, creating an exploitable condition that allows malicious actors to bypass security boundaries. The flaw demonstrates a fundamental failure in process isolation principles that are essential for maintaining browser security boundaries.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate validation of memory access requests originating from compromised renderer processes. When a renderer process is successfully compromised through another attack vector, the attacker can leverage this flaw to request memory metadata from privileged processes that should normally be protected from unauthorized access. The instrumentation subsystem responsible for providing debugging and monitoring capabilities was not properly enforcing access control checks, allowing a compromised untrusted process to query and retrieve sensitive information from trusted system components. This represents a classic privilege escalation scenario where local code execution in a lower-privilege process can be leveraged to gain information disclosure from higher-privilege contexts.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-6080 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as memory metadata can reveal critical system information including memory layout details, process structures, and potentially sensitive data residing in memory. Attackers can utilize this information to craft more sophisticated attacks, such as heap spraying techniques or bypassing exploit mitigations like address space layout randomization. The vulnerability creates a pathway for attackers to gather intelligence that could be used to defeat other security mechanisms, making it particularly dangerous in targeted attack scenarios. This flaw directly violates the principle of least privilege and demonstrates inadequate separation of concerns within Chrome's multi-process architecture.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily involve upgrading to Google Chrome version 65.0.3325.146 or later where proper access control checks have been implemented. Organizations should also consider implementing additional monitoring for unusual memory access patterns and process communication that could indicate exploitation attempts. The fix addresses the underlying CWE-284 access control weakness by enforcing proper authorization checks on instrumentation requests. Security teams should also review their incident response procedures to ensure proper handling of such vulnerabilities, as the exploitation typically requires initial compromise of renderer processes through other attack vectors. This vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining comprehensive access control mechanisms throughout all system components, particularly in complex software architectures like modern web browsers where multiple processes interact with varying privilege levels.