CVE-2023-36562 is a critical elevation of privilege vulnerability discovered in Microsoft's Edge browser (Chromium-based). This security flaw enables an attacker to escalate their privileges, allowing them to execute malicious code or gain unauthorized access to sensitive data with the same permissions as the compromised user. In this article, we will dive into this vulnerability, explore its potential impact, and provide insights into the exploit, code snippet, and references for further study.

CVE-2023-36562 Exploit Details

In order to exploit the vulnerability, an attacker would typically create a specifically crafted web page or inject malicious code into an existing web page. Once the target user visits the compromised site, the attacker can gain control of the user's browser process and execute arbitrary code with the user's privileges. This could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive information or further exploitation of the user's system.

The vulnerability resides in the Chromium-based version of the Microsoft Edge browser. By exploiting a logic flaw in the browser's security checks, an attacker can bypass the same-origin policy and obtain unrestricted access to other websites' content and system resources.

Code snippet

The following snippet represents a possible proof of concept for CVE-2023-36562, illustrating how an attacker could potentially take advantage of the vulnerability to gain an elevation of privileges:

async function exploit() {
  const iframe = document.createElement("iframe");
  iframe.src = "https://vulnerablesite.example/";;
  document.body.appendChild(iframe);

  await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 200)); // Wait for iframe load

  let vulnObj = null;
  try {
    vulnObj = iframe.contentWindow.sensitiveObject;
  } catch (e) {
    console.error("Failed to access sensitive object:", e);
    return;
  }

  // Execute unauthorized function with the user's privileges
  vulnObj.unauthorizedFunction();
}

exploit();

In this example, an attacker would create an iframe on their malicious site, loading content from a vulnerable target site. The exploit function then attempts to access a sensitive object within the iframe that should be under the same-origin policy protection. If successful, the attacker could use the elevation of privileges to execute unauthorized functions or access sensitive data.

Original References

1. CVE Details: Provides in-depth information about the vulnerability, including a CVSS score, and the vulnerability's impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
2. Microsoft Security Advisory: An official statement from Microsoft, describing the vulnerability and its potential impact. The advisory includes mitigation strategies and guidance on how to protect your system from this vulnerability.
3. Chromium Project Bug Archive: Original bug report from the Chromium project, where the issue was first identified and documented. Contains in-depth technical descriptions and discussions of the security flaw.

Conclusion

CVE-2023-36562 is a severe elevation of privilege vulnerability affecting Microsoft's Edge browser (Chromium-based). Users should stay up-to-date on the latest security patches, follow best practices for browsing, and refer to official Microsoft advisories and resources for mitigation strategies. By understanding the vulnerability's inner workings and potential consequences, security professionals can take appropriate steps to mitigate its risks and protect sensitive data from unauthorized access.

Timeline

Published on: 09/15/2023 22:15:13 UTC
Last modified on: 09/21/2023 14:14:05 UTC