CVE-2014-7932 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in the Element::detach function in core/dom/Element.cpp in the DOM implementation in Blink, as used in Google Chrome before 40.0.2214.91, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via vectors involving pending updates of detached elements.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/06/2022
The CVE-2014-7932 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free condition within the Blink rendering engine's DOM implementation, specifically affecting Google Chrome versions prior to 40.0.2214.91. This flaw exists in the Element::detach function located in core/dom/Element.cpp, demonstrating how improper memory management can lead to severe security consequences. The vulnerability operates by exploiting the improper handling of DOM elements during the detachment process, creating a scenario where freed memory can be accessed after it has been deallocated, thus presenting a potential vector for arbitrary code execution or system instability.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from the improper synchronization between DOM element lifecycle management and pending updates within the Blink engine. When a DOM element is detached from the document tree, the system should ensure that all pending operations and references to that element are properly cleaned up before memory is released. However, in this case, the Element::detach function fails to adequately handle pending updates, allowing references to remain active even after the element has been freed. This creates a race condition where the memory previously occupied by the element can be reallocated and accessed by subsequent operations, leading to unpredictable behavior that attackers can potentially exploit to execute malicious code or cause system crashes.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to web application security and user safety. Remote attackers can leverage this flaw through crafted web pages that manipulate DOM elements in specific ways, triggering the use-after-free condition during browser rendering operations. The potential impacts extend beyond simple denial of service to include arbitrary code execution, which could allow attackers to compromise user systems, steal sensitive information, or perform other malicious activities. The vulnerability's remote exploitability makes it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered simply by visiting a compromised website, requiring no user interaction beyond normal browsing activities.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-416, which specifically addresses use-after-free conditions in software implementations, and demonstrates how improper memory management in browser engines can create persistent security risks. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to multiple ATT&CK techniques including T1059 for command and scripting interpreter usage and T1203 for Exploitation for Client Execution. The attack surface is particularly wide given that web browsers are essential components of modern computing environments, making this vulnerability highly valuable to threat actors seeking to establish persistent access to target systems. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected Chrome versions and implement additional security measures such as content security policies and browser hardening configurations to mitigate the risk of exploitation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate deployment of Chrome version 40.0.2214.91 or later, which contains the necessary fixes to address the memory management issues in the Element::detach function. Additionally, organizations should implement browser security hardening measures including sandboxing, strict content security policies, and regular security updates to prevent exploitation attempts. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can help detect and block exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar memory management issues in other browser components or web applications that may be susceptible to similar use-after-free conditions.