CVE-2012-5155 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Google Chrome before 24.0.1312.52 on Mac OS X does not use an appropriate sandboxing approach for worker processes, which makes it easier for remote attackers to bypass intended access restrictions via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/22/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-5155 represents a critical sandboxing flaw in Google Chrome versions prior to 24.0.1312.52 on macOS operating systems. This issue specifically affects the worker process sandboxing mechanism, which is a fundamental security component designed to isolate potentially malicious code execution from the core browser functionality. The sandboxing approach in question fails to properly enforce access restrictions for worker processes, creating a pathway for remote attackers to circumvent the intended security boundaries that separate different browser components and user data.
The technical implementation flaw lies in how Chrome's worker processes are isolated within the macOS environment. Worker processes in modern browsers serve as separate execution contexts for handling background tasks such as web workers, shared workers, and other asynchronous operations. These processes should operate under strict sandboxing policies that limit their access to system resources, file systems, and network communications. However, the vulnerability in Chrome's implementation on macOS allows for insufficient isolation between these worker processes and the underlying operating system, enabling attackers to exploit this weakness through unspecified vectors that typically involve privilege escalation or unauthorized access to restricted resources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it fundamentally undermines the security model that Chrome employs to protect users from malicious web content. When worker processes lack proper sandboxing, attackers can potentially execute arbitrary code within the context of these processes and subsequently leverage the compromised worker to gain access to other browser components or system resources. This weakness particularly affects macOS users who may be exposed to attacks through compromised websites or malicious web content that triggers the vulnerable worker process behavior. The vulnerability creates a persistent threat vector that remains active as long as the affected Chrome version is in use, potentially allowing for prolonged unauthorized access to user data and system resources.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-276, which addresses improper permissions and access control mechanisms, and demonstrates how sandboxing failures can create persistent security weaknesses in browser implementations. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and persistence, as attackers can leverage the insufficient sandboxing to maintain access to compromised systems. The mitigation strategy primarily involves upgrading to Chrome version 24.0.1312.52 or later, which implements corrected sandboxing mechanisms for worker processes on macOS. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing network-level controls and monitoring for suspicious browser behavior, while users should maintain updated browser versions and exercise caution when visiting untrusted websites that may exploit this vulnerability through malicious web content or drive-by downloads. The remediation process requires careful attention to ensure that all affected systems receive the necessary updates, as the vulnerability specifically targets the macOS implementation and may not affect other operating systems or Chrome versions that properly implement worker process sandboxing.