CVE-2019-5845 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Out of bounds access in SwiftShader in Google Chrome prior to 73.0.3683.75 allowed a remote attacker to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/19/2024
The vulnerability CVE-2019-5845 represents a critical out-of-bounds memory access flaw within SwiftShader, a software rasterizer component used by Google Chrome for graphics rendering when hardware acceleration is unavailable or disabled. This issue affects Chrome versions prior to 73.0.3683.75 and demonstrates how graphics processing components can serve as attack vectors for remote code execution. The vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking in SwiftShader's handling of graphics operations, specifically when processing crafted HTML content that triggers memory access violations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a carefully constructed HTML page that leverages the SwiftShader rasterizer to execute malicious memory operations. When Chrome processes such content, the flawed bounds checking allows an attacker to write beyond allocated memory buffers, potentially leading to heap corruption. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-129, which describes improper validation of array indices, and specifically relates to memory safety issues in graphics rendering libraries. The attacker can manipulate the graphics processing pipeline to cause unpredictable behavior including arbitrary code execution, denial of service, or information disclosure.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-5845 extends beyond simple exploitation as it represents a significant risk to user security when Chrome operates in its software rendering mode. Since SwiftShader is designed to provide fallback graphics capabilities when hardware acceleration fails or is disabled, users who encounter such scenarios become vulnerable to remote attacks. This vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be triggered through standard web browsing activities, making it an ideal candidate for drive-by download attacks. The attack surface is broad as any web page containing malicious HTML elements can potentially exploit this flaw, especially when users have not enabled hardware acceleration or when hardware acceleration fails for various reasons.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-5845 primarily involve updating to Chrome version 73.0.3683.75 or later, which includes patches addressing the SwiftShader bounds checking issues. Organizations should also consider implementing browser hardening measures such as disabling software rendering where possible and ensuring hardware acceleration is enabled. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to technique T1059.001 for command and control through browser-based attacks and T1203 for exploitation for privilege escalation. Security teams should monitor for indicators of compromise related to unusual graphics processing behavior and implement network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. The fix addresses the root cause by implementing proper bounds validation in SwiftShader's memory management routines, preventing the heap corruption that enabled remote code execution.