CVE-2015-1280 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
SkPictureShader.cpp in Skia, as used in Google Chrome before 44.0.2403.89, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory corruption) or possibly have unspecified other impact by leveraging access to a renderer process and providing crafted serialized data.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/03/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-1280 resides within the Skia graphics library's SkPictureShader.cpp component, which serves as a critical rendering engine within Google Chrome browser before version 44.0.2403.89. This flaw represents a memory corruption issue that can be exploited remotely through manipulation of serialized data within the browser's renderer process. The vulnerability specifically affects the handling of picture shaders during graphics rendering operations, where improperly processed serialized data can lead to unpredictable system behavior. The security implications extend beyond simple denial of service, as the memory corruption could potentially enable more severe attacks depending on the execution context and system configuration.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a malicious actor provides crafted serialized data that triggers improper memory handling within the Skia rendering pipeline. The flaw manifests during the deserialization process of picture shaders, where the renderer process fails to properly validate or sanitize input data before processing. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of memory safety issues, specifically addressing improper handling of serialized data structures that should be validated before use. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it operates within the renderer process, which typically runs with elevated privileges and has access to sensitive system resources. The flaw creates a path where untrusted input can corrupt memory layout, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or complete system compromise.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to browser users since it can be triggered through standard web browsing activities without requiring user interaction beyond visiting malicious websites. The attack vector leverages the browser's rendering capabilities to execute malicious code in the context of the renderer process, which typically has more privileges than the main browser process. This makes it particularly dangerous as it can bypass traditional security boundaries within the browser architecture. The vulnerability's potential for unspecified other impacts suggests that beyond the immediate memory corruption, it may enable additional attack vectors such as privilege escalation, information disclosure, or further exploitation of related vulnerabilities within the graphics rendering stack. The issue demonstrates how graphics libraries can serve as attack surfaces for sophisticated exploitation techniques that leverage the complex nature of rendering operations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-1280 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Chrome versions to 44.0.2403.89 or later, as this addresses the core memory handling issues within Skia's picture shader implementation. Organizations should implement network-based protections such as web application firewalls and content filtering systems to block known malicious content that may exploit this vulnerability. Browser hardening measures including sandboxing enhancements, strict memory access controls, and process isolation should be enabled to limit the potential impact if exploitation occurs. The vulnerability highlights the importance of input validation and proper memory management in graphics libraries, aligning with CWE-125 for out-of-bounds read conditions and CWE-787 for out-of-bounds write vulnerabilities. Security monitoring should focus on unusual memory allocation patterns and renderer process behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing the principle of least privilege for renderer processes and maintaining up-to-date security patches across all browser installations will significantly reduce the attack surface and potential impact of similar vulnerabilities in the graphics rendering subsystem.