CVE-2014-1718 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Integer overflow in the SoftwareFrameManager::SwapToNewFrame function in content/browser/renderer_host/software_frame_manager.cc in the software compositor in Google Chrome before 34.0.1847.116 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via vectors that trigger an attempted mapping of a large amount of renderer memory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/10/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-1718 represents a critical integer overflow flaw within Google Chrome's software compositor implementation that affects versions prior to 34.0.1847.116. This issue resides in the SoftwareFrameManager::SwapToNewFrame function located in content/browser/renderer_host/software_frame_manager.cc, which is a core component responsible for managing software rendering operations within the browser's architecture. The flaw manifests when the software compositor attempts to handle memory mapping operations for renderer frames, creating a scenario where integer arithmetic operations can exceed their maximum representable values, leading to unexpected behavior in memory allocation and management processes.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through carefully crafted web content that triggers the software compositor to attempt mapping an excessive amount of renderer memory. When the integer overflow occurs during the calculation of memory requirements for frame swapping operations, it can result in the allocation of insufficient memory or incorrect memory boundaries. This condition creates a potential for memory corruption that manifests as a denial of service attack, where the browser process crashes or becomes unresponsive. However, the vulnerability's potential impact extends beyond simple denial of service, as the integer overflow could potentially be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks depending on the memory layout and execution context, though the exact nature of these potential impacts remains unspecified in the original vulnerability report.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to Chrome users as it can be exploited through standard web browsing activities without requiring any special privileges or user interaction beyond visiting malicious websites. The software compositor is an integral part of Chrome's rendering pipeline, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it operates at a low level within the browser's architecture and can affect the stability of the entire browsing session. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it affects the software rendering path, which serves as a fallback mechanism when hardware acceleration is unavailable or fails, meaning that even users with hardware acceleration enabled could potentially be affected if the software path is triggered.
Security researchers categorize this vulnerability under CWE-190, which specifically addresses integer overflow conditions that can lead to memory corruption and arbitrary code execution. The ATT&CK framework would classify this as a privilege escalation technique through memory corruption, potentially enabling an attacker to move laterally within a compromised system or escalate privileges if the browser process has elevated permissions. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected Chrome installations to mitigate this risk, as the vulnerability can be exploited remotely without user interaction. The recommended mitigation strategy involves updating to Chrome version 34.0.1847.116 or later, which includes proper integer overflow checks and bounds validation in the affected software compositor function. Additionally, browser hardening measures such as sandboxing, address space layout randomization, and strict memory access controls can provide additional defense-in-depth layers to reduce the potential impact of similar vulnerabilities that may exist in other parts of the browser's codebase.