CVE-2010-2647 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Google Chrome before 5.0.375.99 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory corruption) or possibly have unspecified other impact via an invalid SVG document.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/20/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-2647 represents a critical memory corruption issue affecting Google Chrome versions prior to 5.0.375.99. This flaw resides in the browser's handling of Scalable Vector Graphics documents, which are XML-based vector image formats commonly used on the web. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and memory management when processing malformed SVG content, creating a pathway for remote attackers to exploit the browser's rendering engine.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write operations. When Chrome encounters an invalid SVG document, the browser's SVG parser fails to properly validate the document structure and memory allocation, leading to memory corruption that can result in arbitrary code execution or complete browser crash. The flaw operates at the intersection of web rendering and memory safety, where the SVG rendering engine does not adequately protect against malformed input sequences that could overwrite adjacent memory regions.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to users who browse the web without updated security patches, particularly in enterprise environments where browser updates may be delayed. The remote attack vector means that users can be compromised simply by viewing a malicious webpage containing crafted SVG content. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code on victim machines, potentially leading to full system compromise, data exfiltration, or persistent backdoor installation. The unspecified other impacts mentioned in the CVE description suggest potential for privilege escalation or information disclosure beyond simple denial of service.
Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected Chrome installations to remediate this vulnerability, as the attack surface remains broad due to the widespread use of Chrome browsers. Security teams should implement network-based mitigations including web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious SVG content, while also monitoring for indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1203, which covers Exploitation for Client Execution, and T1059, which covers Command and Scripting Interpreter, as attackers could use this vulnerability to establish persistent access through malicious SVG documents delivered via phishing campaigns or compromised websites. Additionally, browser hardening measures such as sandboxing and strict content security policies should be implemented to reduce the potential impact of such exploits, as the vulnerability can potentially bypass traditional security controls due to its location within the core rendering engine of the browser.