CVE-2019-13686 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Use after free in offline mode in Google Chrome prior to 77.0.3865.90 allowed a remote attacker to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/27/2024
The vulnerability CVE-2019-13686 represents a critical use-after-free condition that existed in Google Chrome's offline mode functionality prior to version 77.0.3865.90. This flaw falls under the category of memory safety issues and specifically manifests within the browser's handling of offline web content processing. The vulnerability is classified as a use-after-free error according to the Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE-416) which occurs when a program continues to use a pointer after the memory it points to has been freed, creating potential opportunities for memory corruption and arbitrary code execution.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires a remote attacker to craft a malicious HTML page that triggers the specific code path involving offline mode processing. When Chrome processes such crafted content, the application fails to properly manage memory references during offline mode operations, leading to a scenario where freed memory locations are accessed after being reallocated. This memory corruption can occur during the handling of web content that is cached or processed for offline access, particularly when the browser attempts to manage resources associated with offline web applications or cached content.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory corruption as it provides a potential vector for remote code execution in the context of the Chrome browser. Attackers can leverage this flaw to execute arbitrary code on a victim's system with the privileges of the Chrome process, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability affects all versions of Chrome prior to 77.0.3865.90 and represents a significant risk given Chrome's widespread usage and the ease with which malicious web content can be delivered through various attack vectors including phishing campaigns, compromised websites, or malicious advertisements.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 which covers the use of JavaScript for execution. The attack surface is broad as it involves standard web browsing activities and offline web functionality. The vulnerability demonstrates the complexity of modern browser security where seemingly isolated features like offline mode can contain memory management flaws that affect the entire browser's security posture. Organizations should note that this vulnerability can be exploited in the context of typical web browsing scenarios, making it particularly dangerous as it does not require special privileges or user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website. The remediation approach involves updating to Chrome version 77.0.3865.90 or later, which includes memory management fixes and improved handling of offline mode resources. Security practitioners should also consider implementing network-level protections and monitoring for suspicious web content delivery as part of a layered defense strategy against such memory corruption vulnerabilities.