CVE-2013-2875 in Safari
Summary
by MITRE
core/rendering/svg/SVGInlineTextBox.cpp in the SVG implementation in Blink, as used in Google Chrome before 28.0.1500.71, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds read) via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/20/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-2875 resides within the SVG rendering implementation of the Blink rendering engine, which powers Google Chrome browser versions prior to 28.0.1500.71. This flaw manifests in the SVGInlineTextBox.cpp file, which handles the rendering of inline SVG elements within web pages. The issue represents a critical out-of-bounds read condition that can be exploited by remote attackers to trigger a denial of service attack against vulnerable systems. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and boundary checking within the SVG parsing and rendering pipeline, specifically when processing inline SVG content that contains malformed or maliciously crafted elements.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when the Blink engine attempts to render SVG elements that contain malformed data structures or excessive parameters that exceed the allocated memory boundaries. During the rendering process, the SVGInlineTextBox.cpp component fails to properly validate the dimensions and parameters of inline SVG elements, leading to memory access violations that result in application crashes. This out-of-bounds read condition can be triggered through various vectors including malicious SVG files, embedded SVG content in HTML documents, or dynamically generated SVG elements that exceed expected parameter ranges. The vulnerability falls under CWE-129, which specifically addresses insufficient validation of length of input buffers, and represents a classic example of buffer over-read conditions that can lead to system instability.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-2875 extends beyond simple denial of service, as it can be leveraged by attackers to cause browser crashes, application instability, and potentially provide a foothold for more sophisticated attacks. When exploited, this vulnerability can result in complete browser crashes, forcing users to restart their applications and potentially disrupting ongoing work sessions. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that SVG content is commonly embedded in web pages and can be delivered through various attack vectors including malicious websites, phishing campaigns, or compromised web servers. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which covers the use of web-based attacks to gain initial access, and represents a critical weakness in the browser's rendering engine that could be chained with other vulnerabilities to achieve more significant compromises.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-2875 primarily involve updating to Google Chrome version 28.0.1500.71 or later, which includes patches that address the out-of-bounds read condition in the SVG rendering code. System administrators should prioritize immediate deployment of this security update across all affected systems, particularly in enterprise environments where browser-based attacks pose significant risks. Additional protective measures include implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious SVG content, configuring browser security policies to restrict SVG rendering capabilities, and deploying content security policies that limit the execution of potentially dangerous inline SVG elements. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous SVG content patterns and establish incident response procedures specifically addressing browser-based denial of service attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of robust input validation and memory safety practices in rendering engines, highlighting the need for continuous security assessments of browser components that handle complex multimedia content processing.