CVE-2017-15418 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Use of uninitialized memory in Skia in Google Chrome prior to 63.0.3239.84 allowed a remote attacker to obtain potentially sensitive information from process memory via a crafted HTML page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/06/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-15418 represents a critical security flaw within the Skia graphics library component of Google Chrome browsers. This issue manifests as the improper handling of uninitialized memory during graphics rendering operations, creating a potential information disclosure channel that could be exploited by remote attackers. The vulnerability specifically affects Chrome versions prior to 63.0.3239.84, where the Skia graphics engine fails to properly initialize memory segments before utilizing them in rendering contexts. The flaw exists in the graphics processing pipeline where memory allocated for graphical operations is not adequately cleared or initialized before being accessed, potentially exposing residual data from previous operations to malicious actors.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from a fundamental flaw in memory management practices within the Skia rendering engine. When processing crafted HTML content, particularly elements involving complex graphics rendering or canvas operations, the system allocates memory blocks without ensuring they are properly initialized. This uninitialized memory may contain remnants of previously processed data, including sensitive information such as passwords, personal data, or other confidential content that was previously stored in memory locations. The vulnerability operates through a classic uninitialized memory access pattern that can be triggered remotely through malicious web content, making it particularly dangerous in web browsing environments where users frequently encounter untrusted content.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-15418 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it creates potential pathways for more sophisticated attacks within the broader threat landscape. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to extract sensitive data from memory locations that contain cached information, session tokens, or other confidential elements that might be stored in memory during normal browser operations. The remote exploitation capability means that victims need only visit a malicious website to potentially compromise their systems, making this vulnerability particularly attractive to threat actors. This type of information disclosure vulnerability aligns with attack patterns documented in the attack technique matrix under the category of information gathering and reconnaissance activities. The vulnerability can be classified as a memory safety issue that falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category of uninitialized memory access, specifically mapping to CWE-457.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily focus on updating to patched versions of Google Chrome where the memory initialization issues have been addressed. Organizations should prioritize immediate deployment of Chrome version 63.0.3239.84 or later, which includes fixes for the uninitialized memory handling in the Skia component. Additionally, security administrators should implement network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability, particularly focusing on unusual memory access patterns or information disclosure activities. The remediation process should include comprehensive browser security assessments to ensure no other memory-related vulnerabilities exist within the browser ecosystem. Security teams should also consider implementing additional protective measures such as content security policies and sandboxing mechanisms to reduce the potential impact of any remaining vulnerabilities, while maintaining compliance with industry standards for browser security management and information protection protocols.