CVE-2023-3079: Critical Type Confusion Vulnerability in Google Chrome's V8 Engine Compromises Security

Google Chrome is a widely-used web browser providing fast, simple, and secure internet browsing experiences that many of us have come to know and trust. With its ever-growing user-base, Chrome has become a prime target for hackers and cybercriminals who are always on the lookout for security vulnerabilities to exploit.

In this post, we'll delve into one such vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-3079, which affects Google Chrome versions prior to 114..5735.110. This security issue, which originated from Google Chrome's V8 JavaScript engine, has a Chromium security severity rating of "High," indicating its potential risk to users.

What is CVE-2023-3079: Type Confusion in V8 Engine?

Type confusion, as the name suggests, occurs when a program improperly handles different data types. The vulnerability in this case arises from Google Chrome's V8 engine, which improperly handles certain data types, allowing an attacker to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page.

Heap corruption, in simple terms, is an event in which the program's memory area becomes compromised, allowing an attacker to take advantage of it for malicious purposes, such as inserting executable code.

Exploit Details: How Can Attackers Exploit CVE-2023-3079?

An attacker who wants to exploit this security flaw can craft a malicious HTML page that, when viewed in a vulnerable version of Google Chrome, would trigger the type confusion vulnerability and potentially result in heap corruption. With this foothold, an attacker can unleash a variety of malicious actions, such as data manipulation or code execution.

In order to demonstrate the vulnerability, let's take a look at a simplified code snippet that could potentially trigger this type confusion:

class A {
  constructor() {
    this.x = 42;
  }
}

class B {
  constructor() {
    this.y = 99;
  }
}

function confuse() {
  let obj = new A();
  if (Math.random() > .5) {
    obj = new B();
  }

  return obj;
}

const vulnerable = confuse();
console.log(vulnerable.x); // This may improperly return 99 due to type confusion.

In this example, we define two classes, A and B, with different properties (x and y, respectively). The confuse() function creates an object that may be an instance of either class, based on a random condition. When attempting to access the x property of the created object, an error will arise if the object is actually an instance of class B.

To resolve this issue, ensure that you are using the latest version of Google Chrome (v114..5735.110 or later) which has patched this vulnerability. To update your browser, navigate to chrome://settings/help and follow the on-screen instructions.

References and Original Sources

For more information about CVE-2023-3079 and the official response from Google Chrome, you can refer to the following sources:

1. Google Chrome Releases Blog: Check this blog for the latest updates on new releases and security fixes in Google Chrome.
2. National Vulnerability Database (NVD) CVE-2023-3079: The NVD provides an in-depth analysis of this vulnerability, including its CVSS score, impacted products, and available patches.
3. Chromium Bug Tracker: Google's Chromium project bug tracker details the progress of CVE-2023-3079, including its status as a confirmed vulnerability.

In conclusion, CVE-2023-3079 exposes a critical type confusion vulnerability in the V8 JavaScript engine of Google Chrome versions prior to 114..5735.110. Exploitation of this security hole could allow an attacker to remotely execute malicious code or manipulate data in the browser's memory. To protect yourself from potential attacks, make sure you always keep your Chrome browser up-to-date and stay informed about the latest security issues.

Timeline

Published on: 06/05/2023 22:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 06/12/2023 16:47:00 UTC