CVE-2018-6159 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Insufficient policy enforcement in ServiceWorker in Google Chrome prior to 68.0.3440.75 allowed a remote attacker to obtain potentially sensitive information from process memory via a crafted HTML page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/17/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-6159 represents a critical weakness in Google Chrome's ServiceWorker implementation that existed prior to version 68.0.3440.75. This flaw stems from inadequate policy enforcement mechanisms within the browser's service worker architecture, which are designed to manage background processes and enable web applications to function offline. ServiceWorkers act as proxy servers between web applications and network requests, handling tasks such as caching, push notifications, and background synchronization. The insufficient enforcement creates a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the system's memory management processes.
The technical nature of this vulnerability allows a remote attacker to craft a malicious HTML page that can access process memory contents that should normally be restricted. This occurs due to improper validation of cross-origin requests and inadequate sandboxing of service worker contexts. The flaw specifically targets the memory isolation mechanisms that separate different browsing contexts and service worker processes, enabling information disclosure attacks. Attackers can leverage this weakness to extract potentially sensitive data that may include user credentials, session tokens, personal information, or other confidential data stored in memory by the browser process.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to user privacy and data security across the affected Chrome installations. The remote exploitation capability means users can be compromised simply by visiting a malicious website, making it particularly dangerous in phishing campaigns or compromised websites. The information disclosure could lead to credential theft, session hijacking, or exposure of personal data, especially when combined with other attack vectors. Organizations relying on Chrome for business applications face potential data breaches and compliance violations, as this vulnerability could be exploited to access sensitive corporate information stored in browser memory.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses "Information Exposure," and represents a specific case of inadequate access control mechanisms in web browser security models. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this issue maps to techniques involving information gathering and credential access, potentially enabling more sophisticated attacks. The exploitability of this vulnerability requires minimal user interaction beyond visiting a malicious page, making it particularly dangerous in real-world scenarios where users may encounter compromised websites through various vectors including social engineering, compromised ad networks, or malicious email attachments.
Mitigation strategies include immediate upgrading to Chrome version 68.0.3440.75 or later, which implements proper policy enforcement mechanisms for ServiceWorker operations. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions to detect unusual memory access patterns and browser behavior anomalies. Additional defensive measures include regular security assessments of web applications, user education about phishing risks, and maintaining up-to-date browser security patches. Network administrators should monitor for suspicious web traffic patterns and implement browser hardening policies that restrict service worker functionality where possible. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper sandboxing and memory isolation in modern browser architectures and highlights the critical need for continuous security auditing of core browser components.