CVE-2018-8505 in Edge
Summary
by MITRE
A remote code execution vulnerability exists in the way that the Chakra scripting engine handles objects in memory in Microsoft Edge, aka "Chakra Scripting Engine Memory Corruption Vulnerability." This affects Microsoft Edge, ChakraCore. This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2018-8503, CVE-2018-8510, CVE-2018-8511, CVE-2018-8513.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/23/2023
The vulnerability described in CVE-2018-8505 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within Microsoft Edge's Chakra scripting engine, which serves as the JavaScript engine powering the browser's execution environment. This vulnerability specifically manifests when the engine processes objects in memory, creating conditions that allow attackers to manipulate memory layout and execute arbitrary code remotely. The Chakra engine is responsible for interpreting and executing JavaScript code within Microsoft Edge, making this flaw particularly dangerous as it directly impacts the browser's core functionality and security boundaries. The vulnerability affects not only Microsoft Edge but also ChakraCore, which is Microsoft's open-source implementation of the Chakra engine used in various applications beyond the browser.
The technical nature of this memory corruption vulnerability falls under the CWE-125 weakness category, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions that can lead to memory corruption and arbitrary code execution. The flaw occurs during the handling of objects in memory, where improper bounds checking or memory management allows attackers to craft malicious JavaScript code that can manipulate memory addresses and overwrite critical system structures. This type of vulnerability typically arises from insufficient validation of object boundaries or improper memory allocation handling within the scripting engine's memory management subsystem. Attackers can exploit this by constructing specially crafted web pages containing malicious JavaScript that, when executed by the vulnerable Chakra engine, triggers the memory corruption condition and provides remote code execution capabilities.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-8505 extends beyond simple browser compromise, as it enables attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the Microsoft Edge process. This vulnerability can be leveraged in phishing campaigns, drive-by download attacks, or through compromised websites to gain unauthorized access to systems. The attack surface is particularly broad given that Microsoft Edge is widely used across enterprise and consumer environments, making this vulnerability attractive to threat actors seeking to establish persistent access or escalate privileges within target networks. The vulnerability's remote execution capability means that users need only visit a malicious website to be compromised, making it particularly dangerous in targeted attack scenarios where social engineering can be used to direct users to exploit pages.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patch deployment as provided by Microsoft through regular security updates and patches. Organizations should implement browser hardening measures including disabling unnecessary JavaScript features, implementing content security policies, and using sandboxing mechanisms to limit the impact of potential exploitation. Network-based mitigations such as web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can help detect and block exploitation attempts, while endpoint protection solutions should be configured to monitor for suspicious JavaScript execution patterns. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059.007 for JavaScript and T1203 for Exploitation for Client Execution, emphasizing the need for layered defense approaches that include user education, network monitoring, and regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities before they can be exploited in the wild.