CVE-2015-1272 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Use-after-free vulnerability in the GPU process implementation in Google Chrome before 44.0.2403.89 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact by leveraging the continued availability of a GPUChannelHost data structure during Blink shutdown, related to content/browser/gpu/browser_gpu_channel_host_factory.cc and content/renderer/render_thread_impl.cc.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/03/2022
The CVE-2015-1272 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free flaw within Google Chrome's GPU process implementation that existed prior to version 44.0.2403.89. This vulnerability stems from improper memory management during the interaction between the GPU channel host and the Blink rendering engine, creating a scenario where memory locations remain accessible even after they should have been deallocated. The flaw specifically manifests in the browser_gpu_channel_host_factory.cc and render_thread_impl.cc components, which are fundamental to Chrome's architecture for handling graphics processing and rendering operations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when the GPUChannelHost data structure maintains its availability during the shutdown sequence of Blink, the rendering engine that processes web content. This creates a dangerous condition where an attacker can manipulate the memory state to cause the application to reference freed memory locations. The vulnerability leverages the asynchronous nature of GPU processing and browser rendering, where the GPU channel host may continue operating while the rendering thread is terminating. This misalignment in memory lifecycle management allows for potential arbitrary code execution or complete system compromise through carefully crafted web content that triggers the specific memory access patterns.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents significant security risks to users of affected Chrome versions, as it can be exploited remotely through malicious websites without requiring any user interaction beyond visiting the compromised page. The potential impacts extend beyond simple denial of service to include arbitrary code execution, which could allow attackers to gain full control over the victim's system. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-416, which specifically addresses use-after-free conditions in memory management, and demonstrates how improper resource handling in complex browser architectures can create persistent security weaknesses. The attack surface is particularly concerning given Chrome's widespread usage and the fact that the vulnerability can be triggered through standard web browsing activities.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2015-1272 involves immediate patching of Chrome installations to version 44.0.2403.89 or later, which contains the necessary memory management fixes to prevent the improper handling of GPU channel host data structures. Organizations should implement comprehensive browser update policies and consider deploying automated patch management solutions to ensure rapid remediation across all affected systems. Security teams should also monitor for any potential exploitation attempts through network traffic analysis and implement web application firewalls to block malicious content that might attempt to trigger this vulnerability. The remediation process aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter usage, as attackers might attempt to leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent access through compromised browsers. Additional defensive measures include implementing sandboxing mechanisms and restricting browser privileges to limit potential damage from successful exploitation attempts.