Google Chrome adds V8 Sandbox to Combat Memory Corruption Attacks
Google Introduces V8 Sandbox to Fortify JavaScript Engine Security
Google has introduced the V8 Sandbox, a mechanism designed to protect its widely-used V8 JavaScript engine from memory corruption attacks.
The V8 Sandbox represents a proactive approach to cybersecurity, operating under the assumption that attackers may gain arbitrary read and write access within the sandbox environment. Its primary objective is to thwart any attempts at memory corruption that could extend beyond the sandbox’s boundaries.
“The goal of an RCE exploit would typically be to perform a privilege escalation attack, for example, by executing shellcode or performing a return-oriented programming (ROP)-style attack,” explained the V8 team.
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To emulate potential threats, Google equipped the V8 engine with a unique “memory corruption API,” activated by the v8_enable_memory_corruption_api = true flag during building. This API mimics the capabilities attackers might exploit through common V8 vulnerabilities, granting them full read and write access within the sandbox’s confines.
Additionally, Google introduced a “sandbox testing” mode, accessible through the –sandbox-testing or –sandbox-fuzzing flags, which incorporates a signal handler to identify breaches of security protocols signaled by events like SIGSEGV.
Integration into Chrome’s Vulnerability Reward Program (VRP)
Integration of the V8 Sandbox into Chrome’s Vulnerability Reward Program (VRP) enables extensive fuzzing by specialized tools to promptly identify and address potential security flaws.
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