CVE-2017-5128 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Heap buffer overflow in Blink in Google Chrome prior to 62.0.3202.62 allowed a remote attacker to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page, related to WebGL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/06/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-5128 represents a critical heap buffer overflow flaw within the Blink rendering engine of Google Chrome, affecting versions prior to 62.0.3202.62. This vulnerability specifically impacts the WebGL implementation within the browser's graphics rendering capabilities, creating a potential exploitation vector for remote attackers. The flaw exists in how the browser handles memory allocation and management during WebGL operations, particularly when processing crafted HTML content that triggers specific memory access patterns.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking within the WebGL context handling code within Blink. When a malicious webpage loads HTML content that includes specially crafted WebGL commands, the browser's memory management system fails to properly validate array boundaries during heap allocation operations. This allows an attacker to write data beyond the allocated buffer space, potentially corrupting adjacent memory regions and creating opportunities for arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of memory safety and graphics processing, where WebGL's complex rendering pipeline creates multiple potential entry points for heap corruption.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to users as it enables remote code execution through web-based attacks without requiring user interaction beyond visiting a malicious webpage. Attackers can craft HTML pages that contain malicious WebGL commands, which when rendered by the affected Chrome versions, trigger the buffer overflow condition. The exploitability of this vulnerability is enhanced by the fact that it operates entirely within the browser's rendering context, making it difficult to detect and prevent through traditional network security measures. The heap corruption can potentially lead to complete system compromise, depending on the execution environment and available memory layout information.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with the attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the technique of code injection. The exploitation process typically involves crafting malicious WebGL content that triggers specific memory access patterns, potentially leveraging information disclosure vulnerabilities to gain insights into memory layout before executing the actual buffer overflow. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected Chrome versions to mitigate this risk, as the vulnerability provides a direct path to remote code execution through standard web browsing activities.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing the security update provided by Google for Chrome version 62.0.3202.62 and subsequent releases, which includes memory boundary checks and improved WebGL implementation safeguards. Network security controls such as web application firewalls and content filtering systems can provide additional layers of protection by blocking suspicious WebGL content, though these measures are not foolproof against sophisticated attacks. Browser hardening techniques including sandboxing and memory protection mechanisms should be enabled to limit the potential impact should exploitation occur. Regular security assessments and monitoring for suspicious web traffic patterns can help identify potential exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability.