CVE-2012-2843 in iTunes
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in Google Chrome before 20.0.1132.57 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via vectors related to layout height tracking.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/12/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-2843 represents a critical use-after-free flaw in Google Chrome browser versions prior to 20.0.1132.57. This type of vulnerability occurs when a program continues to reference memory that has already been freed, creating potential exploitation vectors for malicious actors. The specific weakness manifests within Chrome's layout height tracking mechanism, which is responsible for managing the vertical dimensions of web page elements during rendering operations. Such memory management errors are particularly dangerous because they can lead to unpredictable behavior and system instability.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the browser's handling of layout calculations where height measurements are tracked and managed. When certain web page elements undergo rapid changes or manipulations, the memory allocated for tracking these layout heights becomes freed but continues to be referenced by subsequent operations. This creates a scenario where attackers can craft malicious web content that triggers the freeing of memory locations while simultaneously manipulating the browser's rendering engine to access this freed memory. The flaw operates within the browser's core rendering pipeline, specifically affecting how Chrome manages the geometric properties of HTML elements during dynamic page updates.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to user security and system stability. Remote attackers can leverage this flaw to cause denial of service conditions by forcing the browser to crash or become unresponsive through carefully crafted web content. More concerning is the potential for unspecified other impacts that could include arbitrary code execution, allowing attackers to gain control over the victim's system. The vulnerability affects all users running vulnerable Chrome versions, making it a widespread concern for organizations and individual users alike. The use-after-free condition can potentially be exploited to execute malicious code with the privileges of the browser process, representing a serious escalation risk.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-2843 primarily focus on immediate browser updates to versions 20.0.1132.57 or later where the memory management issues have been addressed. System administrators should implement comprehensive patch management policies to ensure all Chrome installations remain current with security updates. Organizations can also deploy additional security measures such as browser hardening configurations, content security policies, and web application firewalls to reduce the attack surface. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-416, which specifically addresses use-after-free conditions, and may map to ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation and execution through browser exploits. Regular security assessments and monitoring of browser usage patterns can help identify potential exploitation attempts, while user education regarding safe browsing practices remains essential for overall security posture maintenance.