CVE-2013-2914 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in the color-chooser dialog in Google Chrome before 30.0.1599.66 on Windows allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via vectors related to color_chooser_dialog.cc and color_chooser_win.cc in browser/ui/views/.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/26/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-2914 represents a critical use-after-free flaw within Google Chrome's color chooser dialog implementation on Windows systems. This vulnerability exists in Chrome versions prior to 30.0.1599.66 and specifically targets the browser's user interface components responsible for color selection. The flaw manifests in the color_chooser_dialog.cc and color_chooser_win.cc source files within the browser/ui/views/ directory structure, indicating a desktop-specific implementation issue rather than a web-based vulnerability.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory management within the color selection dialog functionality. When the color chooser dialog is instantiated and subsequently destroyed, the application fails to properly invalidate references to freed memory locations. This use-after-free condition occurs when the application attempts to access or manipulate memory that has already been released back to the system. The flaw is particularly concerning because it can be triggered through remote attack vectors, allowing malicious actors to craft web content or exploit web pages that, when rendered by Chrome, will trigger the vulnerable code path.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to potentially enable more severe consequences including arbitrary code execution. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability by constructing malicious web content that, when displayed in Chrome's color selection dialog, causes the application to free memory resources and then subsequently access those freed locations. This can result in application crashes, system instability, or in more sophisticated exploitation scenarios, potentially allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the Chrome process. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-416, which specifically addresses use-after-free conditions in software implementations.
From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability demonstrates the challenges inherent in maintaining secure user interface components within web browsers. The attack surface expands significantly when considering that web content can trigger desktop application functionality, creating potential for remote exploitation of memory corruption vulnerabilities. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under software exploitation techniques, specifically targeting memory corruption vulnerabilities that can be leveraged for privilege escalation and system compromise. Organizations using affected Chrome versions face significant risk as this vulnerability can be exploited through standard web browsing activities without requiring user interaction beyond visiting malicious websites.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves immediate upgrading to Chrome version 30.0.1599.66 or later, which contains the necessary memory management fixes. Additionally, system administrators should implement network-based protections such as web application firewalls and content filtering solutions to reduce exposure to malicious web content. Browser hardening techniques including sandboxing, privilege separation, and regular security updates should be maintained as part of comprehensive security postures. Organizations should also consider implementing user education programs to reduce the risk of visiting malicious websites and should monitor for indicators of compromise related to this specific vulnerability. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date browser software and implementing layered security approaches to protect against memory corruption exploits that can bypass traditional security controls.