CVE-2014-1732 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in browser/ui/views/speech_recognition_bubble_views.cc in Google Chrome before 34.0.1847.131 on Windows and OS X and before 34.0.1847.132 on Linux allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via an INPUT element that triggers the presence of a Speech Recognition Bubble window for an incorrect duration.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/12/2026
The CVE-2014-1732 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free flaw in Google Chrome's speech recognition functionality that affected multiple operating systems. This vulnerability resides in the browser/ui/views/speech_recognition_bubble_views.cc file and specifically targets the handling of speech recognition bubble windows. The flaw manifests when an attacker crafts a malicious INPUT element that triggers the display of a speech recognition bubble window, but the window remains active for an incorrect duration. This improper handling creates a scenario where memory previously freed by the application is accessed, leading to potential exploitation. The vulnerability impacts Chrome versions prior to 34.0.1847.131 on Windows and OS X, and before 34.0.1847.132 on Linux, making it a widespread concern across the browser's user base. The issue falls under CWE-416, which categorizes use-after-free vulnerabilities as a critical memory safety concern that can lead to arbitrary code execution or system instability.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of HTML input elements that activate Chrome's speech recognition features. When users interact with specially crafted INPUT elements, the browser creates a speech recognition bubble window that should be properly managed and destroyed. However, due to flawed timing logic or memory management, the window object remains accessible even after it has been freed from memory. This creates a dangerous scenario where attackers can manipulate the freed memory location to execute arbitrary code or cause the browser to crash. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic memory safety issue where object lifecycle management fails to prevent access to deallocated resources, allowing for potential exploitation through carefully crafted web content that triggers the speech recognition interface.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-1732 extends beyond simple denial of service to potentially enable more severe attacks. While the initial report suggests a denial of service condition, the use-after-free nature of the vulnerability opens possibilities for remote code execution, particularly when combined with other exploitation techniques. Attackers could leverage this flaw to execute malicious code within the browser context, potentially leading to full system compromise. The vulnerability affects a core browser component that handles user interaction with speech recognition features, making it particularly dangerous as it could be triggered through standard web browsing activities. The cross-platform nature of the vulnerability means that users across Windows, macOS, and Linux systems were all at risk, with different version thresholds for each platform indicating varying levels of exposure.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily involve immediate browser updates to patched versions that address the memory management issues in the speech recognition bubble handling code. Users should ensure they are running Chrome versions 34.0.1847.131 or later on Windows and OS X, and 34.0.1847.132 or later on Linux. Browser vendors should implement additional memory safety checks and proper object lifecycle management to prevent similar issues in future releases. Security teams should monitor for exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability, particularly in environments where users may be exposed to untrusted web content. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of secure coding practices around memory management and object lifetime handling, aligning with ATT&CK techniques related to memory corruption vulnerabilities and privilege escalation through browser exploits. Organizations should consider implementing additional browser hardening measures and monitoring for unusual browser behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts.