CVE-2017-5037 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
An integer overflow in FFmpeg in Google Chrome prior to 57.0.2987.98 for Mac, Windows, and Linux and 57.0.2987.108 for Android allowed a remote attacker to perform an out of bounds memory write via a crafted video file, related to ChunkDemuxer.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/02/2022
The vulnerability CVE-2017-5037 represents a critical integer overflow flaw within FFmpeg library components that are integrated into Google Chrome browser versions prior to specific patches. This issue manifests in the ChunkDemuxer module, which is responsible for parsing and demuxing media content from various video formats. The flaw occurs when processing crafted video files that contain maliciously constructed data structures, specifically within the handling of chunk sizes and offsets during media file parsing operations. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it enables remote code execution through a simple web-based attack vector, making it highly exploitable in real-world scenarios.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking within the FFmpeg demuxer code where integer overflow conditions are not adequately handled. When Chrome processes a specially crafted video file, the ChunkDemuxer component attempts to calculate memory allocation sizes based on values extracted from the media file headers. An attacker can manipulate these values to cause integer overflow, resulting in a situation where the calculated memory allocation becomes significantly smaller than the actual memory required for the operation. This miscalculation leads to heap-based memory corruption and ultimately allows for out-of-bounds memory writes that can be exploited to execute arbitrary code on the target system.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-5037 extends beyond simple browser exploitation as it affects multiple operating systems including macOS, Windows, Linux, and Android platforms. This cross-platform vulnerability means that attackers can leverage the same exploit across different environments without requiring platform-specific modifications. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-190, which addresses integer overflow conditions that can lead to memory corruption. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1203, which involves exploitation of software vulnerabilities, and T1059, which covers command and scripting interpreter usage. The attack chain typically begins with a user visiting a malicious website hosting the crafted video file, followed by automatic execution of the exploit through the browser's media processing pipeline.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected Chrome versions to the patched releases mentioned in the CVE description. Organizations should implement comprehensive browser update policies to ensure all systems are running patched versions that contain the necessary FFmpeg library fixes. Additionally, network-based security controls such as web application firewalls and content filtering systems can be configured to block access to known malicious domains hosting exploit content. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and bounds checking in multimedia processing libraries, and serves as a reminder of the critical security implications of third-party components integrated into browser applications. Security teams should also consider implementing sandboxing mechanisms and privilege separation techniques to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts, though the nature of this vulnerability makes such measures less effective against sophisticated attacks.