CVE-2015-1206 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Heap-based buffer overflow in Google Chrome before M40 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (unpaged memory write and process crash) via a crafted MP4 file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/13/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-1206 represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow flaw discovered in Google Chrome versions prior to version 40. This vulnerability specifically affects the handling of MP4 media files within the browser's multimedia processing pipeline, creating a remote code execution vector that could be exploited by attackers to cause significant system instability. The flaw resides in the way Chrome processes and allocates memory for MP4 file structures, particularly when dealing with malformed or crafted MP4 content that triggers improper memory boundary checks during parsing operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within Chrome's MP4 parser component, which fails to properly verify the boundaries of memory allocations when processing media file headers and metadata. When a maliciously crafted MP4 file is encountered, the parser attempts to write data beyond the allocated heap memory boundaries, resulting in memory corruption that manifests as an unpaged memory write operation. This type of memory corruption directly violates the principles outlined in CWE-121, which categorizes heap-based buffer overflow conditions as a fundamental memory safety issue where insufficient boundary checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions, as it can lead to complete process crashes and system instability. Remote attackers can leverage this flaw by hosting malicious MP4 content on web servers or embedding it within compromised websites, requiring no user interaction beyond visiting the malicious page. The vulnerability affects all versions of Chrome prior to version 40, making it particularly dangerous given the widespread adoption of Chrome as the dominant web browser. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to cause persistent crashes of the Chrome process, potentially leading to system resource exhaustion and availability disruption for users.
From an attack methodology perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the execution and privilege escalation domains, where attackers can leverage memory corruption flaws to gain control over system resources. The exploit development process typically involves crafting MP4 files with malformed metadata structures that force the browser's memory allocator into a state where it writes beyond allocated buffers. The vulnerability's classification as a heap-based buffer overflow places it within the broader category of memory safety issues that have historically been the primary attack surface for browser-based exploits, as documented in numerous security research publications and vulnerability databases.
The recommended mitigations for this vulnerability include immediate upgrading to Chrome version 40 or later, which contains patches addressing the memory boundary checking issues in the MP4 parser. Organizations should also implement web content filtering measures to block access to known malicious MP4 content and deploy browser security extensions that provide additional protection layers. System administrators should consider implementing network-based intrusion detection systems that can identify and block suspicious MP4 file content patterns. The vulnerability's remediation strategy aligns with standard security practices outlined in NIST guidelines for browser security management, emphasizing the importance of regular patch management and proactive security monitoring to prevent exploitation of known memory corruption vulnerabilities.