CVE-2018-17463
Google Chromium V8 Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
Description
CVE-2018-17463 is a remote code execution vulnerability in the Google Chromium V8 JavaScript engine that allows an attacker to execute code inside the browser sandbox via a crafted HTML page. The vulnerability enables an attacker to achieve arbitrary code execution by exploiting a flaw in V8's JIT compilation pipeline, potentially leading to data theft, credential harvesting, or further system compromise when chained with sandbox escape techniques. This Chromium V8 vulnerability affects multiple web browsers including Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Opera. CISA has added CVE-2018-17463 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, and with an EPSS score of 91.7% (99th percentile), this represents one of the most exploitation-probable V8 vulnerabilities.
KEV Information
CVSS Score
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HOpen in CalculatorAffected Products
| Vendor | Product | Version |
|---|---|---|
| chrome | < 70.0.3538.67 | |
| redhat | enterprise linux desktop | 6.0 |
| redhat | enterprise linux server | 6.0 |
| redhat | enterprise linux workstation | 6.0 |
| debian | debian linux | 9.0 |
Multiple CVSS Assessments
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
References
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/156640/Google-Chrome-67-68-69-Object.create-Type-Confusion.html(Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry)
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105666(Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry)
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3004(Third Party Advisory)
- https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2018/10/stable-channel-update-for-desktop.html(Release Notes, Vendor Advisory)
- https://crbug.com/888923(Exploit, Issue Tracking)
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201811-10(Third Party Advisory)
- https://www.debian.org/security/2018/dsa-4330(Mailing List, Third Party Advisory)
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2018-17463(US Government Resource)
Weakness Type
CWE-843: Access of Resource Using Incompatible Type ('Type Confusion')
CVE-2018-17463 involves a type confusion vulnerability in the Chromium V8 engine's JIT compiler, where a resource is allocated or initialized with one type but subsequently accessed using an incompatible type. In V8's context, the JIT compiler makes incorrect assumptions about object types during optimization, leading to type-confused memory accesses that enable out-of-bounds reads and writes, ultimately allowing arbitrary code execution.
Learn more: CWE-843 — Access of Resource Using Incompatible Type ('Type Confusion')
Impact Analysis
CVE-2018-17463 is a critical vulnerability that enables remote code execution within the Chromium browser sandbox, requiring only that a victim visits a malicious web page. No authentication or special privileges are needed. The type confusion in V8's JIT compiler allows an attacker to achieve arbitrary read/write access to memory, which is escalated to code execution within the renderer process. Confidentiality and integrity are critically impacted as the attacker can access all data within the browser process, including session cookies, saved passwords, and browsing history. The EPSS score of 91.7% (99th percentile) indicates near-certain exploitation activity, making this one of the highest-risk V8 vulnerabilities. The cross-browser impact across all Chromium-based browsers magnifies the threat, as a single exploit can target the vast majority of web users worldwide.
Exploit Maturity
CISA has confirmed active exploitation of CVE-2018-17463 in the wild by including it in the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, with a remediation deadline of June 22, 2022. The EPSS score of 91.7% (99th percentile) reflects near-certain exploitation probability — among the highest of any V8 vulnerability. No specific ransomware campaigns have been publicly attributed to this vulnerability, but V8 type confusion vulnerabilities are considered premium exploit primitives by advanced persistent threat groups and exploit brokers. CVE-2018-17463 has been extensively analyzed by the security research community, with detailed write-ups of the exploitation technique publicly available, further lowering the barrier to exploitation.
Remediation
- Update all Chromium-based browsers immediately to versions that patch CVE-2018-17463, including Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Opera, and other Chromium derivatives.
- Enable automatic browser updates across all managed devices to ensure V8 patches are applied promptly.
- Deploy browser isolation to render untrusted web content in isolated environments, neutralizing V8 exploitation attempts before they can impact the endpoint.
- Implement strict Content Security Policy (CSP) headers on organizational web properties and use web proxy filtering to restrict exposure to potentially malicious web content.
- Monitor endpoint detection systems for indicators of V8 exploitation, including JIT-related crashes, unusual memory access patterns from browser processes, or unexpected shellcode execution within renderer contexts.
Technical Details
CVE-2018-17463 is a type confusion vulnerability in the V8 JavaScript engine's JIT compiler (TurboFan) used by Chromium-based browsers. The vulnerability occurs when TurboFan's optimization passes make incorrect type assumptions about JavaScript objects, generating machine code that accesses an object through an incompatible type. When V8 executes this incorrectly optimized code, it accesses memory at offsets calculated for the assumed type rather than the actual type, leading to type-confused reads and writes. An attacker crafts JavaScript that triggers the flawed optimization path, creating a condition where object properties are accessed at wrong memory offsets. By carefully constructing the heap layout, the attacker leverages this type confusion to build arbitrary read and write primitives, which are then escalated to full code execution within the renderer process. This is a well-documented class of V8 vulnerability that targets the gap between V8's speculative optimization and actual runtime types.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2018-17463 being actively exploited?
Yes. CISA has confirmed active exploitation by adding it to the KEV catalog. The EPSS score of 91.7% (99th percentile) indicates near-certain exploitation probability. Detailed exploitation write-ups are publicly available, further increasing the risk.
What products are affected by CVE-2018-17463?
CVE-2018-17463 affects all Chromium-based browsers including Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Opera, Brave, and Vivaldi. The vulnerability is in the V8 JavaScript engine shared by all these browsers.
How do I fix CVE-2018-17463?
Update all Chromium-based browsers to the latest patched versions. Enable automatic browser updates and deploy browser isolation technology for defense in depth against V8 vulnerabilities.
How severe is CVE-2018-17463?
CVE-2018-17463 is a critical type confusion vulnerability with an EPSS score of 91.7% in the 99th percentile — one of the highest exploitation probabilities among V8 vulnerabilities. It enables remote code execution through a crafted web page and has been actively exploited in the wild.
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