CVE-2024-7965 - V8 Engine Heap Corruption Exploit in Google Chrome (Prior to 128..6613.84)

In recent years, web browsers have become increasingly sophisticated and powerful to handle complex applications while providing enhanced performance and security. Google Chrome, one of the most widely used web browsers, has always been at the forefront of implementing advanced security measures to protect its users. However, no system is foolproof, and vulnerabilities can emerge despite the developers' best efforts.

CVE-2024-7965 is a vulnerability that affects Google Chrome versions before 128..6613.84, where an inappropriate implementation in the V8 JavaScript engine can potentially allow a remote attacker to exploit heap corruption through a specially crafted HTML page. This vulnerability is categorized as having Chromium security severity High, urging users to take immediate steps to mitigate any potential threats.

In this post, we will explore the details of this vulnerability, how it can be exploited, and what Google has done to patch it.

Overview of CVE-2024-7965

The CVE-2024-7965 vulnerability exists in the V8 JavaScript engine, which is the open-source JavaScript and WebAssembly engine for Chromium projects like Google Chrome. This vulnerability stems from the way the V8 engine deals with certain objects in memory, leading to potential heap corruption.

Heap corruption typically occurs when the memory used by an application is tampered with, either unintentionally or maliciously, causing unpredictable behavior and potential security risks. In the case of CVE-2024-7965, an attacker can craft a malicious HTML page that, when opened in a vulnerable version of Google Chrome, could exploit the heap corruption and potentially execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service.

Exploit Details

While the Google Chrome Security Team has not released specific details on how this exploit can be triggered, we can deduce that it involves tampering with how the V8 engine handles memory allocations for JavaScript objects.

A possible exploit scenario might include creating a specially crafted JavaScript object that, when processed by the V8 engine, triggers an unpredictable behavior in memory allocation. An attacker could leverage this behavior to overwrite specific memory locations, leading to arbitrary code execution or denial of service.

A hypothetical code snippet that could exploit this vulnerability might look like the following

// Malicious JavaScript code to exploit CVE-2024-7965

function exploitCVE20247965() {
  let maliciousObject = createMaliciousObject(); // Function to create a malicious object that triggers heap corruption
  let corruptHeap = new ArrayBuffer(1024);
  
  // Trigger the heap corruption
  for (let i = ; i < 100000; i++) {
    manipulateHeap(maliciousObject, corruptHeap);
  }
}

exploitCVE20247965();

Please note that this code snippet should NOT be used for any malicious purposes. It is merely an illustration of how an attacker could potentially leverage the vulnerability.

Mitigation

Google Chrome has already addressed this vulnerability by patching the V8 engine's inappropriate implementation in version 128..6613.84. To protect your system, ensure that your Google Chrome browser is updated to the latest stable version. You can check for updates by navigating to the settings menu and clicking on "About Chrome."

For the original details on this vulnerability, please refer to the official Chromium issue tracker

- CVE-2024-7965 - Chromium Issue Tracker

Additionally, you can find more information about the V8 engine and the security measures in place in the following resources:

- V8 Engine's Official Website
- Google Chrome Security - V8 security features

Conclusion

Staying up-to-date with security patches and browser updates is crucial in today's rapidly evolving threat landscape. The CVE-2024-7965 vulnerability serves as a reminder that even the most advanced and widely used web browsers can have vulnerabilities. By staying informed and promptly taking action to address any security issues, you will be one step ahead in protecting your digital privacy and security.

Timeline

Published on: 08/21/2024 21:15:08 UTC
Last modified on: 08/29/2024 01:00:00 UTC