CVE-2012-2881 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Google Chrome before 22.0.1229.79 does not properly handle plug-ins, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (DOM tree corruption) or possibly have unspecified other impact via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/14/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-2881 affects Google Chrome versions prior to 22.0.1229.79 and relates to improper handling of plug-ins within the browser's architecture. This issue stems from insufficient validation and management of plugin interactions within Chrome's rendering engine, specifically impacting how the browser processes and integrates third-party plugins into its document object model. The flaw exists in the browser's plugin management system where malicious or malformed plugin content can trigger unexpected behavior in Chrome's internal processing mechanisms. This vulnerability demonstrates a critical weakness in Chrome's sandboxing and plugin isolation capabilities, as the browser fails to properly contain plugin execution within designated boundaries. The improper plugin handling creates a pathway for attackers to manipulate the browser's internal DOM tree structure, leading to potential system instability and service disruption.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through the browser's plugin processing pipeline where Chrome's renderer process fails to adequately validate plugin inputs and outputs. When a malicious plugin attempts to interact with the browser's DOM structure, the insufficient boundary checking allows for memory corruption or structural manipulation of the document tree. This can result in the browser's rendering engine encountering malformed data structures that cause unexpected behavior or complete failure of the browser's rendering capabilities. The vulnerability manifests as a denial of service condition where the DOM tree becomes corrupted, preventing normal page rendering and potentially causing the browser to crash or become unresponsive. The unspecified other impacts suggest that attackers might exploit this flaw to execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges within the browser's execution context.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-2881 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios as it represents a significant security risk to users browsing the web. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to disrupt normal browser operations, potentially causing widespread service interruptions across affected systems. The vulnerability's potential for unspecified impacts indicates that it could be exploited for more sophisticated attacks including privilege escalation or code execution within the browser environment. Organizations using affected Chrome versions face increased risk of targeted attacks, particularly in environments where users frequently interact with potentially malicious content or third-party plugins. The vulnerability affects the browser's core functionality and can be exploited across multiple operating systems where the affected Chrome versions are deployed.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-2881 primarily involve immediate patching of Chrome browsers to versions 22.0.1229.79 or later, which contain the necessary fixes for plugin handling and DOM tree integrity protection. System administrators should implement automated update mechanisms to ensure all users are running patched versions of Chrome. Additionally, organizations can deploy browser security policies that restrict plugin execution or disable unnecessary plugins to reduce attack surface. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-119 which describes weaknesses in memory handling and buffer overflows, while also mapping to ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation and denial of service. Security teams should monitor for exploitation attempts and implement network-based intrusion detection systems to identify potential exploitation of this vulnerability in their environments. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should verify that plugin management configurations properly isolate browser processes and prevent unauthorized DOM tree modifications.