CVE-2015-1279 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Integer overflow in the CJBig2_Image::expand function in fxcodec/jbig2/JBig2_Image.cpp in PDFium, as used in Google Chrome before 44.0.2403.89, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (heap-based buffer overflow) or possibly have unspecified other impact via large height and stride values.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/03/2022
The vulnerability CVE-2015-1279 represents a critical integer overflow flaw within the PDFium library's CJBig2_Image::expand function, specifically in the fxcodec/jbig2/JBig2_Image.cpp module. This issue affects Google Chrome versions prior to 44.0.2403.89, making it a significant concern for web browser security. The flaw occurs when processing JBIG2 compressed image data within PDF documents, where the application fails to properly validate input parameters before performing arithmetic operations that could result in integer overflow conditions. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-190 as an integer overflow or wraparound, which is a well-documented weakness in software security practices.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves crafting malicious PDF documents containing specially constructed height and stride values that, when processed by the vulnerable PDFium library, trigger integer arithmetic overflow. When the CJBig2_Image::expand function attempts to calculate buffer sizes based on these oversized parameters, the integer overflow results in heap-based buffer overflow conditions. This occurs because the application allocates memory based on the overflowed integer values, creating insufficient buffer space for the actual data processing. The flaw demonstrates a classic example of inadequate input validation and arithmetic overflow protection mechanisms, where the system does not properly check for overflow conditions before performing critical memory allocation operations.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-1279 extends beyond simple denial of service to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks. While the primary effect manifests as heap-based buffer overflow leading to application crashes and denial of service, the vulnerability's potential for unspecified other impacts suggests it could be leveraged for more severe consequences. Attackers could potentially exploit this weakness to execute arbitrary code or gain additional privileges, particularly when combined with other vulnerabilities in the browser's attack surface. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 which covers exploitation for privilege escalation through memory corruption vulnerabilities, and represents a significant threat vector in the context of browser-based attacks where PDF processing is common.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-1279 primarily focus on immediate remediation through software updates and patches. Organizations should prioritize upgrading to Google Chrome version 44.0.2403.89 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for this vulnerability. Additionally, implementing network-based protections such as PDF content filtering and sandboxing mechanisms can provide defense-in-depth measures. The fix typically involves adding proper integer overflow checks and bounds validation before memory allocation operations, ensuring that calculated buffer sizes remain within acceptable limits. Security teams should also consider implementing monitoring for suspicious PDF content and establishing incident response procedures for handling potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability underscores the importance of robust input validation and proper arithmetic overflow protection in multimedia processing libraries, particularly those handling complex image formats like JBIG2 compression used in PDF documents.