CVE-2013-6665 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Heap-based buffer overflow in the ResourceProvider::InitializeSoftware function in cc/resources/resource_provider.cc in Google Chrome before 33.0.1750.146 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via a large texture size that triggers improper memory allocation in the software renderer.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/15/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-6665 represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow affecting Google Chrome versions prior to 33.0.1750.146. This flaw resides within the ResourceProvider::InitializeSoftware function located in the cc/resources/resource_provider.cc file of the Chromium codebase. The issue manifests when the software renderer processes large texture sizes that trigger improper memory allocation patterns, creating conditions where attacker-controlled data can overwrite adjacent heap memory regions. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of memory management and graphics rendering, leveraging the software rendering path rather than hardware acceleration, which makes it particularly concerning for systems that rely on software fallback mechanisms when hardware rendering fails or is unavailable.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a carefully crafted web page that includes graphics content with excessively large texture dimensions. When Chrome's software renderer attempts to initialize resources for such textures, the ResourceProvider::InitializeSoftware function fails to properly validate or limit the memory allocation size based on the provided texture dimensions. This improper handling results in a heap-based buffer overflow where the program writes beyond the allocated memory boundaries, potentially corrupting adjacent memory structures including heap metadata, function pointers, or other critical data. The vulnerability is classified as CWE-121 Heap-based Buffer Overflow, which directly relates to insufficient bounds checking during dynamic memory allocation operations. The attack vector requires remote code execution through a malicious webpage, making it particularly dangerous in web browsing contexts where users may encounter untrusted content without proper sandboxing protections.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-6665 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, potentially enabling more severe consequences including arbitrary code execution and system compromise. When exploited successfully, the buffer overflow can corrupt heap metadata structures, leading to memory corruption that attackers might leverage to redirect program execution flow or inject malicious code into the Chrome process memory space. The vulnerability affects the software rendering path specifically, which means that even if hardware acceleration is available and functioning, the system may fall back to software rendering under certain conditions, thereby exposing users to the attack. This makes the vulnerability particularly insidious as it can be triggered through normal browsing activities when the browser encounters graphics content that pushes the software renderer beyond its normal operational limits, creating a persistent threat vector that could be exploited across various web applications and content types.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability focus primarily on updating to patched versions of Google Chrome, specifically version 33.0.1750.146 or later, where the memory allocation validation has been corrected to prevent excessive heap allocations based on malformed texture size parameters. System administrators should implement comprehensive patch management protocols to ensure all Chrome installations are updated promptly, particularly in enterprise environments where multiple users may be exposed to untrusted web content. Additional protective measures include enabling Chrome's built-in security features such as sandboxing, which can limit the impact of successful exploitation attempts, and implementing web filtering solutions that can block access to known malicious domains. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation in graphics rendering pipelines and highlights the need for robust memory safety mechanisms in browser software, particularly in components that handle dynamic resource allocation. Organizations should also consider implementing monitoring solutions to detect unusual memory allocation patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, as the vulnerability's behavior can be detected through memory analysis and heap integrity checking mechanisms that align with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter.