CVE-2013-2872 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Google Chrome before 28.0.1500.71 on Mac OS X does not ensure a sufficient source of entropy for renderer processes, which might make it easier for remote attackers to defeat cryptographic protection mechanisms in third-party components via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/18/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-2872 represents a significant cryptographic weakness in Google Chrome versions prior to 28.0.1500.71 on macOS operating systems. This flaw specifically targets the renderer processes within the browser architecture, which are responsible for displaying web content and executing JavaScript code. The issue stems from insufficient entropy sources during the initialization of these processes, creating predictable cryptographic states that could be exploited by malicious actors. The vulnerability affects the browser's ability to maintain proper cryptographic isolation between different rendering contexts, potentially undermining the security model that Chrome employs to protect users from malicious web content.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability relates to the operating system's random number generation mechanisms and how Chrome's renderer processes interact with these systems on macOS. When Chrome initializes renderer processes on Mac OS X, it fails to properly seed the random number generators used for cryptographic operations within these components. This insufficient entropy allows attackers to predict or guess the cryptographic values used by the renderer processes, which could enable them to bypass security protections in third-party components such as Flash plugins or other browser extensions. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of operating system security and browser architecture, where the lack of proper entropy seeding creates a predictable environment for cryptographic operations.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-2872 extends beyond simple cryptographic weakness to encompass potential exploitation of third-party components within the browser ecosystem. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to perform attacks such as cross-site scripting bypasses, session hijacking, or exploitation of other security mechanisms that rely on unpredictable cryptographic values. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects the fundamental security assumptions of Chrome's architecture, where renderer processes are expected to operate in isolated environments. This flaw could enable attackers to escalate privileges or gain unauthorized access to sensitive information, especially when users visit malicious websites that specifically target this vulnerability in third-party browser components.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-330 Use of Insufficiently Random Values, which specifically addresses the use of inadequate entropy in cryptographic implementations. The flaw also connects to ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and credential access, as attackers could exploit the predictable cryptographic states to bypass security controls. Organizations should consider this vulnerability as part of a broader attack surface that includes browser-based exploitation vectors and third-party component vulnerabilities. The remediation approach involves updating to Chrome version 28.0.1500.71 or later, which implements proper entropy seeding for renderer processes on macOS systems, ensuring that cryptographic operations within these components use sufficient randomness to prevent predictable states.
The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper entropy management in browser security architectures, particularly when dealing with multiple isolated processes that require cryptographic protection. This issue highlights the complexity of maintaining cryptographic security in modern browser environments where numerous components must operate in isolation while maintaining sufficient randomness for their security mechanisms. The impact on macOS users was particularly significant given the platform's specific implementation of random number generation and how Chrome's renderer processes interacted with these systems. Organizations should prioritize patch management for this vulnerability and consider implementing additional monitoring for suspicious browser behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts.