CVE-2012-2827 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in the UI in Google Chrome before 20.0.1132.43 on Mac OS X allows attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/25/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-2827 represents a critical use-after-free flaw within the user interface component of Google Chrome browser version 20.0.1132.43 and earlier on macOS operating systems. This type of vulnerability occurs when a program continues to reference memory that has already been freed or deallocated, creating a dangerous condition that can be exploited by malicious actors. The flaw specifically resides in the browser's graphical user interface subsystem, making it particularly concerning given the privileged nature of UI components in web browsers. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-416 as a Use After Free condition, which is classified as a common weakness enumeration that directly impacts memory safety and program stability.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves attackers manipulating the browser's UI rendering process to trigger a situation where freed memory locations are accessed or reused. This can occur through carefully crafted web content or malicious websites that leverage the browser's rendering engine to execute specific sequences that cause memory deallocation followed by subsequent access. The attack vector remains unspecified in the original description, which is typical for early-stage vulnerability disclosures, but the potential for exploitation is significant given that the flaw exists in the core UI processing pathways. The memory corruption resulting from this use-after-free condition can manifest in various ways including browser crashes, memory corruption, or in more severe cases, arbitrary code execution within the browser sandbox.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-2827 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as the unspecified other impacts could potentially include privilege escalation or remote code execution depending on the specific exploitation techniques employed. When a browser's UI component is compromised, attackers may gain access to sensitive user data, browser sessions, or potentially escalate privileges within the operating system context. The macOS environment adds additional complexity to exploitation as it provides different memory management characteristics compared to other operating systems, potentially making the vulnerability more difficult to detect or prevent. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 which involves executing malicious code through browser-based attacks, and T1190 which encompasses exploitation of vulnerabilities in web browsers to gain unauthorized access.
Organizations and users should immediately update to Google Chrome version 20.0.1132.43 or later to remediate this vulnerability, as the patch addresses the underlying memory management issue in the browser's UI subsystem. Security administrators should implement proactive monitoring for exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability, particularly in environments where users may encounter untrusted web content. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of regular browser updates and security patch management, as UI components often represent high-value targets for attackers due to their privileged access to user interactions and system resources. Additional mitigations include implementing web content filtering solutions, disabling unnecessary browser features, and maintaining comprehensive security monitoring to detect anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts against this or similar vulnerabilities.