CVE-2016-1646 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting Google Chrome versions before 49.0.2623.108. This vulnerability allows attackers to exploit the Array.prototype.concat implementation in the Google V8 engine, potentially leading to a denial of service due to an out-of-bounds read. The vulnerability is classified with a CVSS score of 8.8, indicating a high risk to users.
The nature of this vulnerability means that it could be exploited remotely through crafted JavaScript code, impacting the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of affected systems. Given its potential to cause significant disruption, organizations should prioritize patching as soon as possible.
As of now, this vulnerability is included in the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, indicating that it has been recognized as a critical risk. Organizations that utilize affected versions of Google Chrome must take immediate action to mitigate the risk.
Organizations should prioritize patching immediately.
Vulnerability Details
This vulnerability allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds read) or possibly have unspecified other impact via crafted JavaScript code. It is categorized under CWE-125, which pertains to out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities.
The CVSS score of 8.8 reflects the potential severity of exploitation, with a low attack complexity and no privileges required for an attacker. User interaction is required, making it necessary for a victim to execute the malicious code.
Affected versions include Google Chrome prior to version 49.0.2623.108, with potential impacts on systems using Debian, Ubuntu, OpenSUSE, and Red Hat Linux distributions.
Technical Analysis
The root cause of this vulnerability is due to improper handling of element data types within the Array.prototype.concat method in the Google V8 engine. This can lead to memory access violations, which attackers can exploit to cause a denial of service.
The attack vector is network-based, meaning that an attacker can initiate an exploit remotely. The attack complexity is considered low, and the attacker does not require any privileges to execute the attack, although user interaction is necessary.
The confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts are all rated as high, emphasizing the critical nature of this vulnerability.
Risk & Impact Analysis
Organizations utilizing affected versions of Chrome should be aware of the real-world risk posed by this vulnerability. The potential for denial of service attacks could severely impact business operations, leading to downtime and loss of productivity.
Given that this vulnerability affects multiple distributions, the blast radius is significant, potentially impacting a large number of users across various platforms. Organizations should assess their exposure and prioritize remediation based on the critical nature of this vulnerability.
With the vulnerability included in the KEV catalog, organizations should act swiftly to address this issue, implementing patches as part of their immediate security strategy.
Signal | Status |
|---|---|
Known Exploit | No |
Public PoC | No |
Actively Exploited | Yes |
Ransomware Use | No |
Affected Versions
The following versions are affected by this vulnerability: all versions of Google Chrome prior to 49.0.2623.108. Additionally, various Linux distributions including Debian 8.0 and 9.0, Ubuntu 14.04, 15.10, and 16.04, as well as OpenSUSE Leap 42.1 and SUSE Linux are impacted.
Mitigation & Remediation
Organizations should apply updates as per vendor instructions. Patching to the latest version of Google Chrome is essential to mitigate this vulnerability. If patching is not immediately possible, consider disabling JavaScript or implementing network controls to limit exposure.
Organizations are encouraged to follow best practices in their security posture, including regular security testing such as penetration testing to identify potential weaknesses.
Detection Guidance
Monitoring for unusual application behavior and logging errors related to JavaScript execution can help detect potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should be aware of network signatures indicative of exploitation attempts.
AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight
This vulnerability highlights the importance of rigorous security assessments and the need for continuous monitoring of applications for vulnerabilities. Security teams should focus on patterns emerging from vulnerabilities like CVE-2016-1646 and ensure that their remediation processes are proactive.
Organizations can benefit from enhancing their vulnerability management programs to better handle such incidents and reduce the risk of future vulnerabilities.
For organizations using cloud environments, implementing regular cloud penetration testing can also help detect weaknesses that may lead to similar vulnerabilities.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
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