CVE-2015-1227 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
The DragImage::create function in platform/DragImage.cpp in Blink, as used in Google Chrome before 41.0.2272.76, does not initialize memory for image drawing, which allows remote attackers to have an unspecified impact by triggering a failed image decoding, as demonstrated by an image for which the default orientation cannot be used.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/12/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-1227 resides within the Blink rendering engine's DragImage::create function located in platform/DragImage.cpp, affecting Google Chrome versions prior to 41.0.2272.76. This flaw represents a classic memory initialization issue that can lead to unpredictable behavior when handling image data during drag and drop operations. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the system attempts to create drag images from potentially malicious or malformed image files, creating a scenario where critical memory regions remain uninitialized during the image drawing process.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper memory management within the image handling pipeline. When the DragImage::create function processes image data, it fails to properly initialize memory structures that are subsequently used for image drawing operations. This uninitialized memory can contain residual data from previous operations, creating a potential attack surface where adversaries can manipulate or exploit the contents of these memory regions. The vulnerability becomes particularly dangerous when combined with failed image decoding scenarios, where the system attempts to handle images that cannot be properly interpreted or oriented according to standard conventions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory corruption, potentially enabling remote code execution or information disclosure attacks. Attackers can craft malicious image files designed to trigger the specific failure conditions described in the vulnerability, causing the uninitialized memory to be accessed in unexpected ways. This can result in various security implications including but not limited to privilege escalation, denial of service conditions, or the potential for arbitrary code execution within the browser context. The unspecified impact mentioned in the CVE description reflects the complexity of determining exact attack vectors and consequences, as different memory states could lead to different outcomes.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-457, which describes the use of uninitialized variables, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1059 for potential remote code execution pathways. The flaw demonstrates a common pattern in browser security where complex multimedia handling functions fail to properly manage memory initialization, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate memory contents. The specific context of drag and drop operations adds another layer of complexity, as these operations often involve multiple security contexts and can be triggered through various user interactions. Organizations should consider this vulnerability as part of broader browser security hardening efforts, particularly when implementing defense-in-depth strategies against memory corruption attacks.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patching of affected Chrome versions, implementing additional memory sanitization checks within image processing pipelines, and deploying browser hardening measures such as address space layout randomization and stack canaries. Security teams should also monitor for related vulnerabilities in similar browser components and consider implementing network-based intrusion detection systems to identify potential exploitation attempts targeting this class of memory initialization flaws. The vulnerability highlights the importance of comprehensive memory management practices in browser engines and the critical need for thorough testing of edge cases in multimedia handling functions.