CVE-2012-2822 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
The PDF functionality in Google Chrome before 20.0.1132.43 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds read) via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/25/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-2822 represents a critical out-of-bounds read flaw within the PDF rendering functionality of Google Chrome browsers prior to version 20.0.1132.43. This issue resides in the browser's handling of PDF documents and constitutes a remote code execution risk that could be exploited by malicious actors to disrupt normal browser operations. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and memory management within the PDF processing component, specifically affecting how Chrome parses and renders PDF files. Security researchers have classified this as a denial of service condition that could potentially be leveraged for more severe exploits, making it particularly concerning for enterprise environments where browser-based attacks are common.
The technical nature of this vulnerability involves improper bounds checking during PDF document parsing operations, which allows attackers to craft malicious PDF files that trigger memory access violations when processed by the affected Chrome versions. When the browser attempts to read data beyond the allocated memory boundaries, it results in an out-of-bounds read condition that can cause the application to crash or behave unpredictably. This type of flaw falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-129, which specifically addresses improper validation of length of input data. The vulnerability affects the browser's PDF rendering engine, which is part of the broader Chromium project's codebase, making it a widespread issue across all affected Chrome versions and potentially impacting other Chromium-based browsers.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for organizations relying on Chrome for document viewing and web browsing activities. Attackers could exploit this flaw by delivering malicious PDF files through phishing campaigns, compromised websites, or malicious email attachments, leading to unauthorized denial of service conditions that disrupt user productivity and potentially provide a foothold for further attacks. The impact extends beyond simple browser crashes, as the vulnerability could be chained with other exploits to achieve remote code execution or privilege escalation. According to ATT&CK framework methodology, this vulnerability aligns with techniques involving privilege escalation and remote code execution through browser-based attack vectors, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users frequently access untrusted web content.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation through patch management processes to upgrade to Chrome version 20.0.1132.43 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for this vulnerability. Additional mitigations include implementing web application firewalls, deploying content filtering solutions, and educating users about the risks of downloading and opening PDF files from untrusted sources. Network administrators should consider implementing sandboxing measures and restricting PDF processing capabilities in browser configurations where possible. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches across all browser installations, as this flaw could be exploited in targeted attacks against organizations with outdated browser versions. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should include checks for this specific issue to ensure comprehensive protection against browser-based threats.