CVE-2010-2297 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
rendering/FixedTableLayout.cpp in WebCore in WebKit in Google Chrome before 5.0.375.70 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via an HTML document that has a large colspan attribute within a table.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/16/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-2297 represents a critical flaw in the WebKit rendering engine used by Google Chrome browser versions prior to 5.0.375.70. This issue resides within the rendering/FixedTableLayout.cpp component of WebCore, which handles table layout calculations in web documents. The vulnerability specifically targets the processing of HTML table elements where the colspan attribute is set to extremely large values, creating a scenario that can be exploited by remote attackers to compromise system integrity.
The technical exploitation mechanism involves the manipulation of HTML table structures through excessive colspan values that exceed normal processing capabilities. When the browser attempts to render such malformed table elements, the FixedTableLayout.cpp module fails to properly validate or handle these extreme values, leading to memory corruption or buffer overflow conditions. This flaw falls under the CWE-129 vulnerability category, which specifically addresses issues related to insufficient validation of length values, and represents a classic example of an input validation vulnerability that can escalate to arbitrary code execution. The attack vector operates entirely through web content delivery, making it particularly dangerous as it requires no user interaction beyond visiting a malicious webpage.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially enable remote code execution capabilities. When exploited successfully, the vulnerability can cause Chrome applications to crash or become unresponsive, effectively creating a denial of service condition for the user. However, the more severe implications arise from the potential for arbitrary code execution, which would allow attackers to gain full control over the victim's system. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1203, which covers "Exploitation for Client Execution" and represents a common attack pattern where adversaries leverage browser vulnerabilities to execute malicious code on target systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-2297 primarily focus on immediate browser updates to versions 5.0.375.70 and later, which contain patches addressing the table layout processing flaws. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all systems running affected browser versions receive updates promptly. Additional protective measures include implementing web content filtering solutions that can detect and block malicious table structures, employing sandboxing techniques to limit the impact of potential exploitation, and deploying network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing browser hardening configurations that restrict table rendering capabilities and enforce stricter input validation for HTML content. The vulnerability highlights the importance of robust input validation in rendering engines and demonstrates how seemingly benign HTML attributes can be weaponized to create serious security risks.