CVE-2012-2900 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Skia, as used in Google Chrome before 22.0.1229.92, does not properly render text, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) 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-2012-2900 affects Skia graphics library implementation within Google Chrome browser versions prior to 22.0.1229.92. This issue stems from improper text rendering mechanisms within the graphics subsystem that processes and displays textual content on web pages. The flaw manifests when the browser encounters specific text rendering scenarios that trigger unexpected behavior in the underlying Skia graphics engine responsible for drawing user interface elements and web page content. The vulnerability represents a critical security concern as it can be exploited remotely through web-based attacks without requiring user interaction or specific privileges.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper handling of text rendering operations within the Skia graphics library. When Chrome processes certain text elements, particularly those involving complex font rendering or specific character combinations, the graphics engine fails to properly validate input parameters or handle edge cases during the rendering pipeline. This leads to memory corruption or invalid memory access conditions that cause the application to crash or behave unpredictably. The vulnerability classifies under CWE-125 as an out-of-bounds read condition, where the graphics rendering code attempts to access memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries during text processing operations. The flaw can be exploited through various attack vectors including malicious web pages containing crafted text elements, embedded fonts, or specific character sequences that trigger the vulnerable code path.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-2900 extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks. While the primary effect is application crash leading to service disruption, the underlying memory corruption vulnerability could theoretically be leveraged to execute arbitrary code on affected systems. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in targeted attack scenarios where adversaries might attempt to combine it with other exploits to achieve remote code execution. The vulnerability affects all users of affected Chrome versions regardless of their security awareness or system configuration, making it a widespread concern for organizations relying on Google Chrome as their primary browser. The attack surface is broad as any web content that triggers text rendering can potentially exploit this vulnerability, including legitimate websites that might inadvertently contain maliciously crafted text elements.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-2900 primarily focus on immediate remediation through software updates and browser version upgrades. Organizations should prioritize updating to Chrome version 22.0.1229.92 or later where the vulnerability has been patched. Security administrators should implement automated update mechanisms to ensure all systems receive the latest security patches promptly. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls and content filtering solutions can provide additional defense-in-depth measures by blocking suspicious web content that might trigger text rendering vulnerabilities. Browser hardening techniques including sandboxing, privilege separation, and strict content security policies should be implemented to limit the potential impact of successful exploits. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of regular security assessments and vulnerability management programs, as it highlights how graphics rendering libraries can contain critical flaws that affect browser security. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1203 as a process injection technique, where the exploitation could potentially lead to privilege escalation or code execution within the browser process, making it a significant concern for enterprise security teams. Organizations should also consider implementing monitoring solutions to detect unusual browser crash patterns or memory access violations that might indicate exploitation attempts.