CVE-2013-0838 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Google Chrome before 24.0.1312.52 on Linux uses weak permissions for shared memory segments, which has unspecified impact and attack vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/22/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-0838 affects Google Chrome versions prior to 24.0.1312.52 on Linux operating systems, specifically targeting the handling of shared memory segments within the browser's architecture. This weakness in permission management creates a significant security exposure that could potentially allow unauthorized access to memory resources used by the browser process. The shared memory segments in question are critical components that facilitate communication between different processes within Chrome's multi-process architecture, particularly when handling web content and managing browser resources across multiple tabs and windows.
The technical flaw stems from the improper implementation of file permissions for shared memory objects created by Chrome's Linux implementation. When Chrome initializes shared memory segments for inter-process communication or resource sharing, it fails to properly set restrictive permissions that would prevent other users or processes from accessing these memory regions. This misconfiguration allows local users who do not possess the same privileges as the Chrome process to potentially read or manipulate the shared memory contents. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because shared memory in browser contexts often contains sensitive data such as browser state information, cached content, or potentially confidential user data that could be accessed through this privilege escalation vector.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it represents a fundamental weakness in Chrome's security model on Linux platforms. Attackers could leverage this weakness to gain access to browser session data, cached credentials, or other sensitive information stored in shared memory segments. The unspecified nature of the impact and attack vectors suggests that multiple exploitation scenarios may be possible, including potential privilege escalation to the same user context as the Chrome process, or more sophisticated attacks that could leverage the shared memory access for further compromise. This vulnerability directly relates to CWE-732, which describes improper permission assignment for critical resources, and could potentially be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1068, involving privilege escalation through local system exploits.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of Chrome installations to version 24.0.1312.52 or later, which includes proper permission handling for shared memory segments. System administrators should also implement additional security measures such as restricting user privileges when running Chrome processes, monitoring for unauthorized access to shared memory objects, and ensuring that the Linux environment follows secure configuration practices for shared memory management. Organizations should consider implementing process isolation techniques and regularly auditing shared memory usage patterns to detect potential exploitation attempts. The fix implemented by Google addresses the core issue by ensuring that shared memory segments are created with appropriate permissions that prevent unauthorized access while maintaining the necessary functionality for browser operations.