CVE-2019-13679 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Insufficient policy enforcement in PDFium in Google Chrome prior to 77.0.3865.75 allowed a remote attacker to show print dialogs via a crafted PDF file.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/27/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-13679 represents a critical security flaw in PDFium, the PDF rendering engine used by Google Chrome and other applications. This issue stems from insufficient policy enforcement mechanisms that govern how print dialog interactions are handled within PDF documents. The vulnerability affects Chrome versions prior to 77.0.3865.75, making it a significant concern for users operating older browser versions. The flaw specifically enables remote attackers to manipulate the print dialog functionality through the careful crafting of malicious PDF files, potentially leading to unintended user interactions and system exposure.
The technical nature of this vulnerability lies in the improper validation and enforcement of access controls within the PDFium component. When a user opens a specially crafted PDF file, the malicious document can trigger print dialog displays without proper user consent or authorization. This occurs because the PDF rendering engine fails to adequately verify the legitimacy of print dialog requests originating from embedded content. The vulnerability essentially allows attackers to bypass normal user interaction controls and force print dialog presentations, which can serve as an initial vector for more sophisticated attacks or user manipulation techniques.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates a significant risk for users who may unknowingly interact with malicious PDF documents. The forced print dialog presentation can serve as a phishing vector, where attackers exploit the user's attention to the dialog to trick them into revealing sensitive information or performing unintended actions. Additionally, the vulnerability can be leveraged to consume system resources through repeated dialog triggers, potentially leading to denial of service conditions. The remote exploitation aspect means that users can be compromised simply by opening malicious documents, without requiring any additional user interaction beyond the initial document opening.
The security implications extend beyond immediate exploitation, as this vulnerability can be combined with other attack vectors to create more complex threats. The flaw aligns with CWE-693, which addresses protection mechanism failures, and can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1203, which involves exploitation of a remote service. Security researchers have noted that this vulnerability demonstrates poor input validation and inadequate access control enforcement within the PDF rendering pipeline. The issue highlights the importance of maintaining strict policy enforcement in component-level security controls, particularly for elements that interact with system resources like print services.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-13679 primarily focus on updating to the patched version of Google Chrome, specifically version 77.0.3865.75 or later. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all systems are updated promptly. Additional protective measures include implementing content filtering solutions that can detect and block suspicious PDF files, enabling strict browser security policies, and educating users about the risks of opening untrusted PDF documents. Network administrators should consider deploying sandboxing mechanisms for PDF processing and monitoring for unusual print dialog activity patterns. The vulnerability underscores the critical need for regular security updates and proper security testing of third-party components within browser environments.