CVE-2012-2885 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Double free vulnerability in Google Chrome before 22.0.1229.79 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via vectors related to application exit.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/14/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-2885 represents a critical double free condition within Google Chrome's memory management system that existed prior to version 22.0.1229.79. This type of vulnerability occurs when a program attempts to free the same memory block twice, which can lead to unpredictable behavior and potential exploitation by malicious actors. The flaw specifically manifests during application exit sequences where improper memory deallocation routines are executed, creating opportunities for remote attackers to manipulate the browser's memory state.
From a technical perspective, this double free vulnerability operates at the memory management level within Chrome's rendering engine and JavaScript execution environment. When the browser processes certain web content or executes specific JavaScript code, it can trigger a scenario where a memory allocation is freed twice consecutively. This condition violates fundamental memory safety principles and can result in heap corruption that manifests during normal application shutdown procedures. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-415, which specifically addresses double free conditions in memory management, making it a well-documented pattern of memory safety flaws that have plagued software systems for decades.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as it could potentially enable more sophisticated attacks depending on the execution context. Remote attackers who can successfully exploit this condition may be able to cause the browser to crash, leading to denial of service for the victim user. However, the unspecified other impacts mentioned in the CVE description suggest that under certain circumstances, this vulnerability might enable arbitrary code execution or privilege escalation, though such exploitation would require additional attack vectors and system weaknesses. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not need physical access to the target system, making it particularly dangerous in web-based attack scenarios.
The attack surface for this vulnerability is primarily through web content that triggers the problematic memory management code path during browser exit. This typically involves crafted web pages or malicious scripts that can force Chrome into executing the double free condition when the browser attempts to clean up resources. The exploitation requires the victim to visit a malicious website or open compromised content, making social engineering a potential component of successful attacks. Security researchers have noted that such vulnerabilities are particularly challenging to detect and prevent because they often manifest only under specific conditions and may not be immediately apparent during normal browsing operations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-2885 focus primarily on updating to the patched version of Google Chrome, specifically version 22.0.1229.79 or later. This update includes memory management fixes that prevent the double free condition from occurring during application exit sequences. System administrators and security professionals should prioritize this update across all affected systems, particularly in enterprise environments where Chrome is widely used. Additional protective measures include implementing web content filtering solutions, enabling sandboxing features, and maintaining up-to-date security patches for all browser components. The vulnerability's presence in the Chrome browser ecosystem also underscores the importance of continuous security monitoring and rapid patch deployment strategies, as outlined in various security frameworks including the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and MITRE ATT&CK matrix, which categorizes such issues under memory corruption attack patterns. Organizations should also consider implementing network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability.