CVE CyberSecurity Database News

CVE-2023-0696 - Type Confusion in V8 Engine Leads to Heap Corruption in Google Chrome: Unraveling the Exploit Details

Poster -

CVE-2023-0696 refers to a type confusion vulnerability in the V8 JavaScript engine powering Google Chrome web browser. This vulnerability specifically affects versions of Google Chrome prior to 110..5481.77. A malicious actor could potentially exploit heap corruption by crafting a custom HTML page that leverages the vulnerability. The Chromium project reported this security issue as having "high" severity.

In this post, we'll dive deep into the details of CVE-2023-0696 and analyze the related security implications for Google Chrome users. We'll touch upon the affected versions, exploit code, original references, and links to mitigations to help you better secure your browsing experience.

Type Confusion Vulnerability

Type confusion refers to a situation where different object types are improperly handled within a codebase. In the context of web browsers, type confusion can occur when the browser's JavaScript engine incorrectly manages internal object types. This can allow attackers to corrupt the memory layout, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or data leakage.

CVE-2023-0696: Vulnerable Versions and Impact

The vulnerability CVE-2023-0696 affects the V8 JavaScript engine, which is an integral part of the Google Chrome web browser. The affected versions of Google Chrome are those prior to 110..5481.77. When exploited, the vulnerability could allow a remote attacker to corrupt the browser's heap memory, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution, crashes or data leakage.

The Exploit

A remote attacker could exploit CVE-2023-0696 by crafting a custom HTML page and luring the victim into visiting the page using a vulnerable version of Google Chrome. The malicious HTML code could trigger a type confusion error in the V8 JavaScript engine, corrupting the browser's heap memory and potentially enabling the attacker to execute arbitrary code, crash the browser, or access sensitive information.

Sample Code Snippet

The following code snippet is a hypothetical demonstration of a type confusion exploit that could trigger CVE-2023-0696:

<!doctype html>
<html>
<head>
  <title>CVE-2023-0696 Example</title>
  <script>
    function triggerVulnerability() {
      // Craft a malicious object that triggers type confusion in V8 engine
      let maliciousObject = ...
      // Force V8 to process the malicious object
      ...
    }

    window.addEventListener('load', () => {
      triggerVulnerability();
    });
  </script>
</head>
<body>
  <h1>CVE-2023-0696 Example</h1>
</body>
</html>

This code snippet simulates an HTML page that, upon loading, triggers a type confusion vulnerability in the V8 JavaScript engine. The exact contents of the maliciousObject have been omitted for security reasons.

Original References

- For an official description of CVE-2023-0696, visit the Chromium project's security advisory page: link
- To learn more about the V8 JavaScript engine, visit the official V8 website: link

Mitigations

To protect yourself from CVE-2023-0696, it's essential to update Google Chrome to the latest version. By keeping your browser up-to-date, you can apply security patches and prevent attackers from exploiting known vulnerabilities.

Conclusion

CVE-2023-0696 highlights the importance of keeping your software up-to-date, especially when using web browsers like Google Chrome. By staying informed about recent security vulnerabilities and applying relevant software updates, you can significantly reduce your risk of falling victim to cyberattacks.

Timeline

Published on: 02/07/2023 21:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 02/15/2023 20:25:00 UTC