CVE-2019-5835 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Object lifecycle issue in SwiftShader in Google Chrome prior to 75.0.3770.80 allowed a remote attacker to potentially perform out of bounds memory access via a crafted HTML page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/24/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-5835 represents a critical object lifecycle management flaw within SwiftShader, the software-based graphics rendering component integrated into Google Chrome browsers. This issue specifically affects versions prior to 75.0.3770.80 and creates a pathway for remote attackers to execute out-of-bounds memory access operations through maliciously crafted HTML content. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of object destruction and memory management within the SwiftShader rendering pipeline, which is responsible for processing graphics operations when hardware acceleration is not available or disabled.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the inadequate management of object lifecycles within the SwiftShader implementation, creating a scenario where objects may be accessed after they have been deallocated from memory. This memory safety issue manifests when the browser processes HTML pages containing crafted elements that trigger specific rendering behaviors within the software rasterizer. The flaw allows attackers to manipulate memory access patterns through carefully constructed web content, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or information disclosure. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of graphics rendering and memory management, where the renderer fails to properly validate object references during the rendering process, particularly when handling complex graphical operations or transformations.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to users of affected Chrome versions as it enables remote code execution through web-based attacks without requiring user interaction beyond visiting a malicious webpage. The attack surface is broad since any webpage could potentially contain the crafted HTML elements necessary to trigger the vulnerability, making it particularly dangerous in phishing campaigns or compromised websites. The impact extends beyond simple browser exploitation as successful exploitation could lead to full system compromise, given that modern browsers execute with sufficient privileges to potentially access sensitive system resources. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-416, which describes use after free conditions in software development, and represents a classic memory safety issue that has been prevalent in graphics rendering libraries due to the complex nature of memory management in real-time graphics processing systems.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2019-5835 requires immediate updating of Google Chrome browsers to version 75.0.3770.80 or later, which includes patches addressing the object lifecycle management issues within SwiftShader. Organizations should implement comprehensive browser update policies and consider deploying automated update mechanisms to ensure rapid remediation across enterprise environments. Additional defensive measures include implementing web application firewalls, content security policies, and restricting access to potentially malicious websites through network-level controls. Security teams should monitor for exploitation attempts through threat intelligence feeds and network traffic analysis, as the vulnerability may be exploited in the wild through drive-by download attacks or compromised websites. The remediation process should also include verifying that all affected systems have been successfully updated and conducting vulnerability assessments to confirm the absence of the vulnerability in the browser environment. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining current software versions and implementing layered security approaches to protect against sophisticated browser-based attacks that exploit complex rendering engine vulnerabilities.