CVE-2013-2884 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in the DOM implementation in Google Chrome before 28.0.1500.95 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via vectors related to improper tracking of which document owns an Attr object.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/18/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-2884 represents a critical use-after-free flaw within Google Chrome's Document Object Model implementation that existed prior to version 28.0.1500.95. This type of vulnerability occurs when a program continues to reference memory locations that have already been freed, creating potential security risks that can be exploited by remote attackers. The issue specifically affects how Chrome manages Attr objects within the DOM, which are used to represent attributes of HTML elements and play a fundamental role in web page structure and functionality.
The technical flaw stems from improper tracking mechanisms within Chrome's DOM implementation that fail to correctly manage the ownership relationships between documents and Attr objects. When a document is modified or destroyed, the browser's memory management system should properly release associated Attr objects and ensure no references remain to freed memory locations. However, in this vulnerability, Chrome's implementation fails to maintain proper tracking of which document owns a particular Attr object, leading to situations where freed memory can still be accessed through dangling pointers. This improper memory management creates conditions where remote attackers can manipulate the DOM in ways that trigger the use-after-free scenario, potentially causing the browser to crash or behave unpredictably.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service, as the unspecified other impacts mentioned in the CVE description suggest potential for more severe consequences. When an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, they can potentially cause the browser to crash and restart, leading to service disruption for users. More concerning is the possibility of arbitrary code execution, which would allow attackers to gain control over the victim's system. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means attackers can trigger the flaw through malicious web pages without requiring user interaction beyond visiting the compromised site, making it particularly dangerous in real-world scenarios. This type of vulnerability directly impacts the browser's security model and can undermine the isolation between web content and the underlying operating system.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-2884 primarily involve updating to Google Chrome version 28.0.1500.95 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the memory management issues in the DOM implementation. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all users have the latest security updates installed. Additionally, browser vendors and security teams should consider implementing additional safeguards such as address space layout randomization and heap metadata protection to make exploitation more difficult. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-416, which describes the use of freed memory, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1059 for remote code execution through browser exploitation. Network administrators should monitor for exploitation attempts and consider implementing web application firewalls or content filtering solutions that can detect and block malicious content targeting this specific vulnerability. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should include verification that browsers are updated to versions free from known use-after-free vulnerabilities to maintain overall security posture.