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CVE-2016-1706: Google Chrome: Improper Input Validation

CVE-2016-1706 is rated critical with a CVSS v3.0 base score of 9.6 and affects Google Chrome. Per its scoring, it can be exploited over the network, without authentication. The scored impact on confidentiality, integrity and availability is the highest available.

Vulnerability description

The PPAPI implementation in Google Chrome before 52.0.2743.82 does not validate the origin of IPC messages to the plugin broker process that should have come from the browser process, which allows remote attackers to bypass a sandbox protection mechanism via an unexpected message type, related to broker_process_dispatcher.cc, ppapi_plugin_process_host.cc, ppapi_thread.cc, and render_frame_message_filter.cc.

Severity breakdown

CVSS v3.0 9.6: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

Attack vector: Network. Exploitable remotely over the network, with no need for local or physical access.
Attack complexity: Low. No special conditions; the attack can be repeated reliably.
Privileges required: None. No account or prior access is needed.
User interaction: Required. A user must take an action, such as opening a file or following a link.
Scope: Changed. Impact reaches beyond the vulnerable component to other resources.
Confidentiality impact: High. Total loss of confidentiality; sensitive data can be fully disclosed.
Integrity impact: High. Total loss of integrity; data or system state can be fully modified.
Availability impact: High. Total loss of availability; the component can be shut down.

Underlying weakness

CWE-20: Improper Input Validation

The product receives input or data, but it does not validate or incorrectly validates that the input has the properties that are required to process the data safely and correctly.

Affected products

Google Chrome: up to and including 51.0.2704.106