CVE-2024-6101: Explaining the Inappropriate Implementation in V8 in Google Chrome leading to Out of Bounds Memory Access

CVE-2024-6101 highlights a critical vulnerability discovered in Google Chrome related to inappropriate implementation in V8, the engine responsible for JavaScript and WebAssembly execution, allowing a remote attacker to perform out of bounds memory access via a crafted HTML page. Chrome versions prior to 126..6478.114 are affected by this vulnerability, which has a high severity rating from Chromium's security team. This blog post will explore the details of the vulnerabilitiy, provide code examples, and link to original references.

Background

V8, also known as Google Chrome's JavaScript engine, plays a crucial role in managing the performance of JavaScript and WebAssembly code execution. When a security vulnerability like CVE-2024-6101 is discovered in V8, it can have significant consequences, as remote attackers may exploit the vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information or even execute malicious code. In this specific instance, the issue lies in an inappropriate implementation that facilitates out-of-bounds memory access through a maliciously crafted HTML page.

Code Snippet

To help better understand the vulnerability, let's look at a simple code snippet that demonstrates the issue. Please note that this example is for educational purposes only and should not be used to exploit any system.

// CVE-2024-6101_example.js

let vulnerableArray = new Array(5);
vulnerableArray.length = 2;

let outOfBoundsAccess = vulnerableArray[-2]; // Out of bounds access

In this code snippet, we create an Array vulnerableArray, initially containing 5 elements. We then change its length to 2, effectively truncating the array. However, we can still access memory locations outside the intended bounds by attempting to access negative indices in the array. This example demonstrates a simplified version of the out of bounds access vulnerability in Google Chrome's V8 implementation.

Exploit Details

The vulnerability in Chrome's V8 implementation could be exploited by a remote attacker who manages to create a crafted HTML page that gets executed on the victim's system running an affected version of Chrome. By creating a specially crafted HTML page using JavaScript and taking advantage of the inappropriate V8 implementation, a remote attacker could manipulate memory access and potentially expose sensitive information or inject malicious code.

Mitigation

To mitigate this vulnerability, users of Google Chrome are strongly advised to update their browser to the latest version (126..6478.114 or later) to ensure that they are protected against potential exploitation of CVE-2024-6101. Regularly updating your software, including web browsers and operating systems, is crucial to maintaining security and protecting your systems from exploitation by remote attackers.

To explore more about CVE-2024-6101, please refer to the following official resources

1. Google Chrome Releases Blog: https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2024/03/stable-channel-update-for-desktop_13.html
2. Chromium Bug Tracker: https://bugs.chromium.org/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=1108107
3. NIST National Vulnerability Database: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-6101

Conclusion

CVE-2024-6101 showcases the importance of proper implementation and regular security audits in popular software such as Google Chrome. This high-severity vulnerability highlights the potential for remote attackers to exploit weaknesses in the browser's V8 implementation, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive information or even the execution of malicious code. It is imperative for users to keep their software up-to-date and be vigilant about potential security threats.

Timeline

Published on: 06/20/2024 00:15:09 UTC
Last modified on: 07/03/2024 02:09:41 UTC