CVE-2012-5136 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Google Chrome before 23.0.1271.91 does not properly perform a cast of an unspecified variable during handling of the INPUT element, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unknown other impact via a crafted HTML document.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/19/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-5136 represents a critical memory corruption issue within Google Chrome browser versions prior to 23.0.1271.91. This flaw occurs during the processing of INPUT elements in web documents, specifically involving an improper type casting operation that can lead to unpredictable behavior in the browser's rendering engine. The vulnerability falls under the category of memory safety issues that can be exploited remotely through maliciously crafted web content, making it particularly dangerous in web browsing environments where users frequently encounter untrusted content from various sources.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves manipulating the handling of INPUT elements in HTML documents to trigger a type casting error that results in memory corruption. When Chrome processes these elements, the improper casting of an unspecified variable during the rendering pipeline causes the browser to behave erratically. This memory manipulation can potentially lead to a denial of service condition where the browser crashes or becomes unresponsive, effectively preventing users from accessing web content. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple service disruption as the unspecified nature of the variable casting suggests potential for more severe consequences including arbitrary code execution or information disclosure.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to end users who may encounter malicious web pages while browsing the internet. The remote exploitation capability means that attackers can deliver malicious payloads through various vectors including compromised websites, email attachments, or social engineering campaigns that direct users to malicious content. The vulnerability affects a wide range of users since HTML INPUT elements are fundamental components of web forms and interactive web pages, making the attack surface extremely broad. Security researchers have classified this issue as high severity due to its potential for both denial of service and more serious exploitation scenarios that could compromise user systems.
The remediation strategy for CVE-2012-5136 requires immediate deployment of Chrome version 23.0.1271.91 or later, which includes patches that properly handle the INPUT element casting operations. Organizations should implement comprehensive browser update policies to ensure all user systems receive the necessary security patches promptly. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing web filtering solutions that can detect and block known malicious content, though this approach should not be relied upon as the sole defense mechanism. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of regular software updates and proper security hygiene in maintaining browser security. From a compliance standpoint, this vulnerability aligns with various security frameworks that emphasize the need for timely patch management and vulnerability remediation to maintain acceptable security postures. This issue also highlights the broader category of memory safety vulnerabilities that are commonly addressed through techniques such as address space layout randomization and stack canaries, which are often implemented in modern browser security architectures to prevent similar exploitation scenarios.