CVE-2017-5092 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Insufficient validation of untrusted input in PPAPI Plugins in Google Chrome prior to 60.0.3112.78 for Windows allowed a remote attacker to potentially perform a sandbox escape via a crafted HTML page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/05/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-5092 represents a critical security flaw in Google Chrome's handling of untrusted input within PPAPI (Pepper Plugin API) plugins on Windows systems. This issue affected Chrome versions prior to 60.0.3112.78 and created a pathway for remote attackers to potentially bypass the browser's security sandbox mechanisms. The flaw stems from inadequate validation of input data that flows through the PPAPI plugin architecture, which serves as a bridge between Chrome's main process and plugin components.
PPAPI plugins operate in a restricted environment designed to isolate potentially malicious code from the core browser functionality and underlying operating system resources. The vulnerability manifests when untrusted HTML content containing crafted malicious input is processed by these plugins without proper sanitization or validation checks. This insufficient input validation creates a condition where attacker-controlled data can manipulate plugin behavior in ways that were not intended by the plugin developers or Chrome's security model. The vulnerability specifically impacts the Windows implementation of Chrome, where the plugin architecture's interaction with the operating system creates additional attack surface.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it enables sandbox escape techniques that could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code outside the restricted plugin environment. When an attacker successfully exploits this flaw, they can potentially access system resources, read or modify files, and perform actions that should be restricted to the browser's sandboxed environment. This type of vulnerability represents a serious threat to user security as it undermines the fundamental security model that Chrome employs to protect users from malicious web content. The attack vector relies on social engineering to deliver a crafted HTML page that triggers the vulnerable code path, making it particularly dangerous in real-world scenarios.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which describes "Improper Input Validation" as a common weakness in software security that occurs when applications fail to properly validate input data. This flaw also maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007, which covers "Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript', as the exploitation typically involves JavaScript execution within a malicious web page context. The vulnerability demonstrates how plugin architectures can introduce security risks when proper input sanitization is not implemented, particularly in environments where plugins can interact with system resources beyond their intended scope. Organizations should implement immediate patch management procedures to address this vulnerability, as Chrome version 60.0.3112.78 and later versions contain the necessary security fixes that properly validate input within PPAPI plugins, preventing the exploitation pathway that was previously available to remote attackers.