CVE-2015-1259 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
PDFium, as used in Google Chrome before 43.0.2357.65, does not properly initialize memory, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/19/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-1259 affects PDFium, the PDF rendering engine utilized by Google Chrome and other applications. This flaw represents a memory initialization issue that creates potential attack vectors for remote adversaries seeking to compromise system stability or execute malicious code. The vulnerability exists in versions of Chrome prior to 43.0.2357.65, making it a significant concern for users running outdated software versions. The flaw falls under the category of memory safety issues that can lead to unpredictable behavior in applications handling untrusted input data.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in improper memory initialization within PDFium's codebase. When processing PDF documents, the engine fails to properly initialize certain memory regions before using them, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate memory contents through crafted PDF files. This memory corruption can occur during various PDF parsing operations including but not limited to object parsing, stream handling, and resource management. The uninitialized memory may contain residual data from previous operations, potentially leading to information disclosure or execution of arbitrary code when the application attempts to process malicious input.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a substantial risk to users who frequently encounter PDF documents from untrusted sources. Attackers can leverage this flaw to trigger denial of service conditions by causing Chrome to crash or become unresponsive when processing specially crafted PDF files. Additionally, the unspecified other impacts suggest potential for more severe consequences including remote code execution, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in targeted attack scenarios. The vulnerability's remote exploitation capability means that users can be compromised simply by opening malicious PDF documents, without requiring any additional user interaction beyond normal document viewing.
The impact of CVE-2015-1259 aligns with CWE-457, which addresses the use of uninitialized variables in software development. This weakness specifically relates to the improper initialization of memory structures that can lead to unpredictable behavior and security vulnerabilities. The attack surface is broad given PDF's widespread use across different platforms and applications, extending beyond Chrome to any software utilizing PDFium. Organizations and individuals should prioritize updating to patched versions of Chrome and other affected applications to mitigate this vulnerability. The remediation involves proper memory initialization practices during PDF processing, ensuring that all memory regions are properly cleared or initialized before being used for processing untrusted input data. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of memory safety practices in security-critical software components and the potential for seemingly minor initialization flaws to create significant security risks in widely deployed applications.