CVE-2012-2828 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple integer overflows in the PDF functionality in Google Chrome before 20.0.1132.43 allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via a crafted document.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/25/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-2828 represents a critical security flaw affecting Google Chrome versions prior to 20.0.1132.43, specifically within the PDF rendering functionality. This issue stems from multiple integer overflow conditions that occur when processing specially crafted PDF documents, creating a significant attack surface for remote adversaries seeking to compromise system integrity. The vulnerability falls under the category of memory safety issues and demonstrates the inherent risks associated with complex document processing libraries that handle untrusted input from web environments.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves integer overflow conditions within the PDF parsing and rendering components of Chrome's browser engine. When a malicious PDF document is processed, the integer overflows can lead to unpredictable memory allocation behaviors, potentially causing buffer overflows or other memory corruption issues. These conditions typically arise when the application attempts to perform arithmetic operations on integer values that exceed their maximum representable range, leading to unexpected behavior in memory management and allocation routines. The flaw specifically impacts the PDF functionality because it involves calculations related to document dimensions, object sizes, or rendering parameters that may be manipulated by attackers to trigger these overflow conditions.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a substantial risk to users of affected Chrome versions, as it enables remote attackers to execute denial of service attacks or potentially achieve more severe consequences through unspecified other impacts. The remote nature of the attack means that users can be compromised simply by viewing a malicious PDF document in their browser, without requiring any additional user interaction or privilege escalation. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in phishing campaigns or malicious websites where adversaries can leverage the PDF viewer to silently compromise systems. The unspecified other impacts suggest potential for privilege escalation or code execution, though the exact scope of these additional consequences was not fully detailed in the original vulnerability report.
The security implications extend beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as integer overflows in PDF rendering components often provide attack vectors for more sophisticated exploitation techniques. These vulnerabilities are particularly concerning because they can be triggered through web-based attacks without requiring user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website. The attack surface is further expanded by the widespread use of PDF documents in business and personal environments, making this vulnerability a prime target for attackers seeking to compromise large user bases. Organizations using affected Chrome versions face significant risks, as the vulnerability can be exploited through various delivery mechanisms including email attachments, web downloads, or malicious advertisements.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-2828 primarily focus on immediate remediation through software updates, with users and organizations urged to upgrade to Chrome version 20.0.1132.43 or later where the vulnerability has been addressed. System administrators should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all affected systems are updated promptly, as the vulnerability remains exploitable in older versions. Additional protective measures include implementing web content filtering solutions that can block or sandbox PDF content, deploying browser security extensions that provide additional layers of protection, and establishing monitoring procedures to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-190, which specifically addresses integer overflow conditions, and represents a common pattern of memory safety issues that fall under the ATT&CK technique T1203 for "Exploitation for Client Execution" when exploited in web browser contexts. Organizations should also consider implementing network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability.