CVE-2019-5789 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
An integer overflow that leads to a use-after-free in WebMIDI in Google Chrome on Windows prior to 73.0.3683.75 allowed a remote attacker who had compromised the renderer process to execute arbitrary code via a crafted HTML page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/21/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-5789 represents a critical security flaw in Google Chrome's WebMIDI implementation on Windows systems. This issue stems from an integer overflow condition that ultimately results in a use-after-free scenario, creating a significant attack surface for remote code execution. The vulnerability specifically affects Chrome versions prior to 73.0.3683.75, making older installations particularly susceptible to exploitation. The flaw exists within the browser's handling of WebMIDI functionality, which allows web applications to interact with MIDI devices through the browser environment.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability begins with an integer overflow condition that occurs during memory management operations within the WebMIDI component. When processing maliciously crafted HTML content, the overflow causes improper memory allocation and deallocation patterns that leave objects in memory even after they should have been freed. This use-after-free condition creates a scenario where an attacker can manipulate the freed memory location to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the compromised renderer process. The renderer process typically operates with limited privileges but can potentially be escalated through additional attack vectors.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses a severe risk to Chrome users since it requires only a crafted HTML page to initiate exploitation, making it highly accessible to remote attackers. The attack scenario typically involves an attacker compromising a user's browsing session through phishing, malvertising, or other social engineering tactics that deliver the malicious webpage. Once the vulnerable page is loaded, the integer overflow triggers the use-after-free condition, allowing the attacker to execute code within the browser's security boundaries. This could potentially lead to full system compromise if the attacker can escalate privileges or leverage additional vulnerabilities.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-190, which specifically addresses integer overflow conditions, and demonstrates how such flaws can cascade into more serious security issues like use-after-free vulnerabilities. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving code injection and privilege escalation, as attackers can leverage the compromised renderer process to gain broader system access. The attack chain typically follows T1059 for execution through browser-based scripts and T1068 for privilege escalation, making it a significant concern for enterprise security teams and individual users alike.
Organizations and users should immediately update to Chrome version 73.0.3683.75 or later to remediate this vulnerability. Security patches for this issue include memory management improvements and integer overflow protections within the WebMIDI implementation. Additional mitigations include implementing strict content security policies, using sandboxing features, and maintaining up-to-date browser versions through automated update mechanisms. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls and browser isolation technologies can provide additional defense-in-depth measures, though the primary solution remains timely patch deployment. The vulnerability highlights the importance of continuous security monitoring and rapid response to browser security advisories, as these types of memory corruption issues can have severe operational impacts when exploited in the wild.