CVE-2013-2832 in Chrome OS
Summary
by MITRE
The Buffer::Set function in core/cross/buffer.cc in the O3D plug-in in Google Chrome OS before 26.0.1410.57 does not prevent uninitialized data from remaining in a buffer, which might allow remote attackers to obtain sensitive information via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/05/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-2832 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within the O3D plug-in component of Google Chrome OS. This issue resides in the Buffer::Set function located in core/cross/buffer.cc, where the implementation fails to properly initialize buffer memory before use. The flaw allows for uninitialized data to persist within allocated memory regions, creating potential exposure pathways for sensitive information that could be accessed by malicious actors. The vulnerability specifically affects Chrome OS versions prior to 26.0.1410.57, indicating a window of exposure where systems were susceptible to exploitation through unspecified attack vectors that leverage this memory management weakness.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-128, which addresses "Unsigned to Signed Buffer Overflow" and more broadly encompasses buffer-related memory issues where uninitialized data remains in memory regions. The flaw operates at the memory management level where buffer allocation occurs without proper initialization, allowing residual data from previous operations to remain accessible. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of information disclosure attacks as defined by the ATT&CK framework, specifically mapping to techniques involving memory scraping and data exposure. The O3D plug-in serves as a 3D graphics API interface that handles various buffer operations, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to extract sensitive information through memory inspection techniques.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to Chrome OS environments as it enables remote attackers to potentially access confidential data that may have been previously stored in the same memory buffers. The unspecified vectors suggest that attackers could exploit this through various means including web-based attacks, malicious content delivery, or through compromised applications that utilize the O3D API. The persistence of uninitialized data in memory creates a scenario where sensitive information from previous operations, including user data, session tokens, or system information, could be inadvertently exposed to unauthorized parties. This vulnerability essentially creates a data leakage channel that undermines the confidentiality assurances typically expected from properly initialized memory operations.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2013-2832 requires immediate deployment of Chrome OS version 26.0.1410.57 or later, which includes the necessary patches to address the buffer initialization issue. System administrators should prioritize updating all affected Chrome OS devices to ensure protection against this information disclosure vulnerability. Additionally, organizations should implement monitoring for any suspicious activities that might indicate exploitation attempts, particularly focusing on memory-based attacks and unauthorized data access patterns. The fix implemented in the patched version addresses the root cause by ensuring proper buffer initialization before data is written to memory regions, preventing the leakage of uninitialized data that could contain sensitive information. Security teams should also consider implementing additional layers of protection including network monitoring, application whitelisting, and regular security assessments to minimize the attack surface and detect potential exploitation attempts that might leverage similar memory management flaws.