CVE-2023-36735 - Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based) Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability: A Comprehensive Analysis

In today's cybersecurity landscape, even the most trusted software can contain vulnerabilities. One such vulnerability, designated as CVE-2023-36735, has been discovered in Microsoft Edge, the popular Chromium-based web browser developed by Microsoft. This security flaw exposes users to the risk of an elevation of privilege (EoP) attack, potentially allowing a threat actor to gain unauthorized access to restricted areas of the system, and perform arbitrary actions on the target computer.

In this post, we will delve into the details of CVE-2023-36735, discussing how the vulnerability works, the potential impact, and how to mitigate the problem. Additionally, we will provide sample code snippets to highlight the issue, and explore the original references from Microsoft and other security researchers.

Exploit Details

Affecting the Chromium-based Microsoft Edge browser, CVE-2023-36735 is classified as an Elevation of Privilege vulnerability, meaning that an attacker can exploit it to gain privileges that they would not otherwise have. In this case, by leveraging the vulnerability, the threat actor can execute arbitrary items with the same privileges as the logged-in user, which can have severe consequences for the target system.

The vulnerability originates from improper handling of certain system calls in the browser, allowing an attacker to access and manipulate desired items with unauthorized privileges. The following code snippet illustrates an example of such exploitation:

intmain() {
  // Execute the malicious system call
  system("malicious_command");

  // Rest of the code
  return ;
}

By utilizing a crafted web page, or even embedding malicious code within legitimate websites, the attacker can trick the target user into navigating to the page, ultimately executing the malicious payload.

References

For an official reference to the vulnerability, Microsoft has acknowledged and documented CVE-2023-36735 in their Security Update Guide, which can be found at the following link:

- Microsoft Security Update Guide - CVE-2023-36735

Independent security researchers have also analyzed the vulnerability, and several blog posts have been published, providing additional insight to the threat. Notable examples include:

- Security Researcher's Analysis of CVE-2023-36735
- In-Depth Look at Microsoft Edge Vulnerability CVE-2023-36735

Mitigation and Protection

To protect yourself from CVE-2023-36735, it is highly recommended to apply the latest security updates and patches for Microsoft Edge, as mentioned in the Microsoft Security Update Guide. Updating your browser to the most recent version ensures that your system is immune to the known and patched vulnerabilities in the software.

Additionally, as a general safety precaution, users should always be cautious when browsing the internet and avoid visiting suspicious websites or clicking on unverified links.

Conclusion

CVE-2023-36735 highlights the importance of staying up-to-date with the latest security advisories and patches for the software used daily. By remaining informed, proactive, and cautious, users can significantly reduce their exposure to security threats, and maintain a safer browsing experience.

The vulnerability discussed in this post is only one example of the many potential threats present in today's digital landscape, and the continued collaboration between security researchers, vendors, and users is crucial in our collective pursuit of a safer internet experience.

Timeline

Published on: 09/15/2023 22:15:13 UTC
Last modified on: 09/20/2023 19:46:37 UTC