CVE-2012-5148 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
The hyphenation functionality in Google Chrome before 24.0.1312.52 does not properly validate file names, which has unspecified impact and attack vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/22/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-5148 resides within the hyphenation functionality of Google Chrome browser versions prior to 24.0.1312.52. This issue stems from inadequate validation of file names within the browser's text processing capabilities, specifically affecting how the application handles hyphenation of words during text rendering. The flaw represents a classic input validation weakness that could potentially allow malicious actors to exploit the browser's text handling mechanisms through crafted file names or content.
The technical nature of this vulnerability falls under the category of improper input validation, which is commonly classified as CWE-20 by the Common Weakness Enumeration framework. The hyphenation feature in Chrome processes text content and applies hyphenation rules to break words at appropriate points. When this functionality fails to properly validate file names, it creates an opportunity for attackers to inject malicious content or manipulate the text processing pipeline. This weakness could enable attackers to manipulate how text is rendered or processed, potentially leading to unexpected behavior within the browser's rendering engine.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability could enable various attack vectors including but not limited to cross-site scripting attacks, content injection, or even potential privilege escalation within the browser sandbox. The unspecified nature of the impact and attack vectors suggests that the vulnerability may have multiple exploitation pathways depending on the context in which the hyphenation functionality is triggered. Attackers could potentially craft malicious web content or file names that, when processed by Chrome's hyphenation engine, could lead to arbitrary code execution or data manipulation within the browser environment.
The security implications extend beyond simple text processing as this vulnerability demonstrates how seemingly innocuous features can become attack surfaces when proper input validation is lacking. This weakness aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 which covers "Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript" and could potentially be leveraged to execute malicious JavaScript within the browser context. The vulnerability also relates to T1211 which covers "Exploitation for Defense Evasion" as attackers could use such weaknesses to bypass security controls or manipulate browser behavior.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-5148 primarily involve upgrading to Google Chrome version 24.0.1312.52 or later, which contains the necessary patches to properly validate file names within the hyphenation functionality. Organizations should also implement comprehensive browser security policies that include regular updates and monitoring for vulnerable browser versions. Network administrators should consider implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious text processing patterns. Additionally, user education regarding the importance of keeping browser software updated and avoiding untrusted web content remains crucial in defending against potential exploitation of this vulnerability. The patch for this vulnerability specifically addresses the input validation issue by implementing stricter file name validation within the hyphenation processing pipeline, ensuring that only properly formatted text content is processed through the affected functionality.