CVE-2012-5116 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in Google Chrome before 23.0.1271.64 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via vectors related to the handling of SVG filters.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/19/2021
The CVE-2012-5116 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free flaw in Google Chrome versions prior to 23.0.1271.64 that specifically targets the browser's handling of Scalable Vector Graphics filters. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-416 category of Use After Free, where memory that has been freed is accessed by the application, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or system instability. The flaw manifests when Chrome processes SVG filter elements, particularly those involving complex filter operations that trigger memory management issues during the rendering pipeline. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by crafting malicious web pages containing specially crafted SVG content that, when rendered by the browser, causes the application to access freed memory locations, thereby creating opportunities for remote code execution or denial of service conditions.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs during the processing of SVG filter operations within Chrome's rendering engine, where improper memory management leads to a situation where freed memory blocks are still referenced by subsequent operations. When Chrome encounters SVG filter elements that trigger specific memory allocation and deallocation sequences, the browser's memory management system fails to properly track the lifecycle of allocated resources, creating a window where freed memory can be accessed or overwritten. This particular flaw affects the browser's handling of various SVG filter primitives, including feGaussianBlur, feMerge, and other filter operations that require complex memory management. The vulnerability demonstrates how improper memory management in graphics rendering components can create significant security risks that extend beyond simple denial of service scenarios.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-5116 extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially enable remote code execution in targeted attacks. When exploited, this vulnerability allows attackers to cause Chrome to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the browser process, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because SVG filters are commonly used in web design and can be embedded in various web page elements without user interaction, making exploitation relatively easy. This makes the vulnerability suitable for drive-by download attacks where users visiting compromised websites can be silently exploited without any user interaction. The attack surface is further expanded by the fact that SVG content can be embedded in HTML documents, CSS files, or loaded as separate resources, providing multiple vectors for exploitation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-5116 primarily focus on immediate browser updates to versions 23.0.1271.64 or later, where Google has implemented proper memory management fixes for SVG filter handling. Organizations should prioritize patching affected systems and implementing browser hardening measures such as disabling SVG support in web applications when possible. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing robust web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious SVG content. From an ATT&CK perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1203 (Exploitation for Client Execution) and T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) where attackers leverage browser vulnerabilities to execute malicious code. Security teams should implement monitoring for unusual browser memory access patterns and consider network-level protections that can detect and block known exploit patterns associated with this vulnerability. Additionally, user education about avoiding untrusted websites and maintaining updated browser versions remains crucial in defending against such exploitation vectors.