CVE-2019-5790 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
An integer overflow leading to an incorrect capacity of a buffer in JavaScript in Google Chrome prior to 73.0.3683.75 allowed a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code inside a sandbox via a crafted HTML page.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/15/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-5790 represents a critical integer overflow flaw within Google Chrome's JavaScript engine that fundamentally compromises the browser's memory safety mechanisms. This issue affects Chrome versions prior to 73.0.3683.75 and demonstrates how seemingly minor mathematical errors in buffer allocation can lead to catastrophic security implications. The flaw specifically manifests in the JavaScript runtime environment where an integer overflow occurs during buffer capacity calculations, creating a scenario where the system allocates insufficient memory for data storage operations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability leverages the inherent properties of integer arithmetic within the JavaScript engine's memory management subsystem. When processing crafted HTML content, the vulnerable code path executes an arithmetic operation that results in an integer overflow condition, causing the system to compute an incorrect buffer size. This miscalculation leads to a situation where a buffer is allocated with insufficient capacity to handle the actual data being written to it. The underlying CWE classification for this issue aligns with CWE-190, which specifically addresses integer overflow conditions that can result in buffer overflows and memory corruption.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability enables remote code execution within the browser's sandboxed environment, representing a severe escalation of privileges. Attackers can craft malicious HTML pages that, when loaded in affected Chrome versions, trigger the integer overflow condition and subsequently overwrite adjacent memory locations. This memory corruption can be carefully manipulated to redirect execution flow and ultimately execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the sandboxed JavaScript context. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under technique T1059.007 for JavaScript execution and T1068 for application execution through sandbox escape mechanisms.
The exploitation process requires sophisticated understanding of Chrome's memory layout and JavaScript engine internals, as attackers must craft payloads that can successfully leverage the integer overflow to achieve reliable code execution. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it represents a fundamental breakdown in Chrome's memory safety mechanisms that could potentially allow attackers to bypass other security controls. Organizations running affected Chrome versions face significant risk of compromise, as the vulnerability can be exploited through standard web browsing activities without requiring user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-5790 primarily focus on immediate browser updates to versions 73.0.3683.75 and later, which contain patches that address the integer overflow condition in the JavaScript engine. Security administrators should also implement network-level protections such as content filtering and web application firewalls to block access to known malicious domains. Additionally, browser hardening measures including disabling unnecessary JavaScript features, implementing strict content security policies, and maintaining regular security updates can significantly reduce the attack surface. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of regular security patch management and demonstrates how memory safety issues in modern browsers can have far-reaching implications for overall system security.