CVE-2015-1282 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple use-after-free vulnerabilities in fpdfsdk/src/javascript/Document.cpp in PDFium, as used in Google Chrome before 44.0.2403.89, allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via a crafted PDF document, related to the (1) Document::delay and (2) Document::DoFieldDelay functions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/03/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-1282 represents a critical use-after-free flaw within the PDFium library, which serves as the core PDF rendering engine for Google Chrome browser versions prior to 44.0.2403.89. This vulnerability specifically affects the fpdfsdk/src/javascript/Document.cpp component and stems from improper memory management within the JavaScript execution context of PDF documents. The flaw manifests when the PDFium library processes maliciously crafted PDF files that trigger the Document::delay and Document::DoFieldDelay functions, creating conditions where freed memory locations are accessed or reused, potentially leading to system instability or arbitrary code execution.
The technical nature of this vulnerability falls under CWE-416, which categorizes use-after-free conditions as a critical memory safety issue where program memory is accessed after it has been freed. This particular implementation flaw occurs within the JavaScript interpreter layer of PDFium, where the Document::delay and Document::DoFieldDelay functions fail to properly manage object lifecycles when processing specific JavaScript code embedded within PDF documents. When these functions are invoked through crafted PDF content, they create scenarios where objects are freed from memory but subsequent operations attempt to reference these already-released memory locations, leading to unpredictable behavior patterns.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-1282 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as the vulnerability could potentially enable remote code execution in certain conditions. Attackers can craft malicious PDF documents that, when opened in vulnerable Chrome versions, trigger the use-after-free conditions through the Document::delay and Document::DoFieldDelay functions. This allows for arbitrary code execution on the victim's system, as the freed memory can be manipulated to redirect program execution flow. The vulnerability's remote exploitability makes it particularly dangerous in web-based attack scenarios where users might inadvertently open malicious PDF attachments or visit compromised websites hosting harmful content.
Organizations and security professionals should prioritize immediate patching of affected Chrome versions to mitigate this vulnerability, as the attack surface remains significant across numerous web browsing scenarios. The mitigation strategy should include comprehensive browser updates, implementation of PDF content filtering mechanisms, and user education regarding the risks of opening untrusted PDF documents. Security teams should also consider deploying network-based intrusion detection systems that can identify and block suspicious PDF content patterns associated with known exploitation techniques. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of memory safety in PDF rendering engines and highlights the necessity of regular security assessments for browser components that handle untrusted content processing, particularly within JavaScript execution contexts where memory management errors can have severe consequences across the entire system.