CVE-2014-7935 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in browser/speech/tts_message_filter.cc in the Speech implementation 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 utterances from a closed tab.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/06/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-7935 represents a critical use-after-free flaw within Google Chrome's speech synthesis implementation, specifically in the tts_message_filter.cc file. This vulnerability affects Chrome versions prior to 40.0.2214.91 and demonstrates how seemingly benign speech functionality can become a vector for significant security compromise. The issue arises from improper memory management when handling text-to-speech messages, creating conditions where freed memory locations can be accessed or reused by malicious code.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a carefully crafted sequence involving speech utterances generated from a closed tab. When a tab is closed but speech synthesis operations are still active, the system fails to properly invalidate references to the speech message objects, leading to a situation where freed memory can be accessed by subsequent operations. This use-after-free condition manifests when the speech synthesis engine attempts to process messages from tabs that have already been closed, causing memory corruption that can result in unpredictable behavior. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of browser rendering and speech synthesis components, where the tab lifecycle management does not adequately account for ongoing speech processing tasks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service to potentially enable more severe consequences including arbitrary code execution. Attackers can leverage this flaw to cause Chrome to crash or behave unpredictably, potentially leading to system instability. More concerning is the possibility of unspecified other impacts that could allow attackers to execute malicious code within the browser context, particularly since speech synthesis functionality often has elevated privileges and access to system resources. The vulnerability demonstrates how modern browser features, while enhancing user experience, can inadvertently introduce complex memory management challenges that become security risks when not properly handled.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-7935 require immediate patching of affected Chrome versions to 40.0.2214.91 or later, where Google has implemented proper memory management fixes for the speech synthesis component. Organizations should also consider implementing browser hardening measures including sandboxing, restricted speech synthesis permissions, and monitoring for unusual speech processing activities. From a compliance standpoint, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-416, which specifically addresses use-after-free conditions in memory management, and relates to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for application execution through speech synthesis interfaces. Security teams should monitor for potential exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability, particularly in environments where users may be exposed to untrusted content through web browsers that have not been updated to patched versions.
The broader implications of this vulnerability highlight the increasing complexity of modern browser security models, where features like speech synthesis that were designed to enhance accessibility and user experience have become potential attack surfaces. This case demonstrates the importance of comprehensive memory safety testing across all browser components, particularly those that handle asynchronous operations and cross-tab communications. The vulnerability serves as a reminder that even specialized browser features require rigorous security validation and that the interconnected nature of modern web applications can create unexpected attack vectors that must be carefully considered during development and security review processes.