CVE-2023-6508 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 12/06/2023
Use after free in Media Stream in Google Chrome prior to 120.0.6099.62 allowed a remote attacker to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: High)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/24/2023
This vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free condition in the media stream component of google chrome affecting versions prior to 120.0.6099.62. The flaw occurs when the browser processes crafted html content that triggers improper memory management during media stream operations. The underlying technical issue manifests as a failure in the memory deallocation process where freed memory blocks are still referenced or accessed by subsequent operations. This type of vulnerability falls under the common weakness enumeration category CWE-416 which specifically addresses use after free conditions in memory management. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited remotely through malicious web pages without requiring user interaction beyond navigation to the compromised site.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory corruption to potentially enable arbitrary code execution on affected systems. When a remote attacker successfully exploits this use-after-free condition, they can manipulate the heap memory layout to overwrite critical data structures or function pointers. This manipulation can lead to complete system compromise where the attacker gains control over the browser process and potentially the underlying operating system. The chromium security severity rating of high indicates that this vulnerability has a significant impact on system security and can be reliably exploited by threat actors. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where users may encounter malicious content through phishing campaigns or compromised websites.
The exploitation of this vulnerability typically involves crafting specific html content that triggers the media stream processing path in chrome's rendering engine. Attackers can leverage this flaw to execute malicious code within the browser context with the privileges of the user running chrome. The heap corruption aspect means that attackers can manipulate memory contents to redirect execution flow or inject malicious payloads. This vulnerability aligns with attack techniques documented in the attack pattern taxonomy where adversaries target browser memory corruption flaws to achieve code execution. Organizations should consider this vulnerability as part of their broader threat landscape analysis and implement appropriate defensive measures.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily involve immediate patching of chrome installations to version 120.0.6099.62 or later. Additionally organizations should implement browser hardening measures including enabling sandboxing features, restricting media stream access permissions, and deploying web application firewalls to filter malicious content. The use of content security policies can also help prevent exploitation by limiting the sources from which media content can be loaded. Security teams should monitor for indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability and implement network-based detection mechanisms to identify potential exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should include verification that affected systems have been properly patched and that no residual vulnerabilities remain in the browser configuration.