CVE-2012-5110 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
The compositor in Google Chrome before 22.0.1229.92 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds read) via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/18/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-5110 represents a critical out-of-bounds read flaw within the compositor component of Google Chrome browser versions prior to 22.0.1229.92. This issue resides in the browser's rendering engine architecture where the compositor module handles the final stage of graphics processing before display output. The compositor is responsible for compositing multiple graphical elements into a single display frame and managing the underlying graphics hardware resources. When processing certain malformed or crafted input data, the compositor fails to properly validate memory access boundaries, leading to an out-of-bounds read condition that can result in unpredictable behavior and system instability.
The technical nature of this vulnerability falls under CWE-125, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds read conditions in software systems. This flaw allows remote attackers to exploit the browser's graphics processing pipeline through unspecified attack vectors that likely involve malicious web content or specially crafted HTML elements. The out-of-bounds read occurs during the compositor's handling of graphical operations, potentially enabling attackers to read memory locations outside the intended buffer boundaries. This type of vulnerability typically arises from insufficient input validation and boundary checking mechanisms within the graphics rendering subsystem, where the compositor module fails to properly sanitize or validate the dimensions and parameters of graphical elements before processing them.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service, as it creates potential pathways for more sophisticated attacks. When an out-of-bounds read occurs in a graphics processing component, it can expose sensitive memory contents including browser session data, user credentials, or other confidential information stored in adjacent memory regions. Attackers could potentially leverage this condition to extract information from the browser's memory space or to destabilize the entire browser process, leading to complete application crashes or system instability. The remote nature of the attack means that users could be compromised simply by visiting malicious websites or viewing crafted content without any additional interaction required from the victim.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-5110 primarily focus on immediate browser updates and system hardening measures. The most effective solution involves upgrading to Google Chrome version 22.0.1229.92 or later, which includes patches specifically addressing the compositor's memory validation issues. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management protocols to ensure all browser installations are updated promptly. Additionally, browser hardening techniques such as sandboxing, address space layout randomization, and heap metadata protection can provide defense-in-depth measures against exploitation attempts. Security professionals should also monitor for related vulnerabilities in the graphics processing components and consider implementing web application firewalls or content filtering systems to block suspicious content that might trigger similar vulnerabilities. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under the technique of "Exploitation for Defense Evasion" when attackers leverage such flaws to maintain persistent access or escalate privileges within compromised systems.