CVE-2020-16005 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 11/03/2020
Insufficient policy enforcement in ANGLE in Google Chrome prior to 86.0.4240.183 allowed a remote attacker to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/04/2025
The vulnerability CVE-2020-16005 represents a critical security flaw within the ANGLE graphics library implementation used by Google Chrome browsers. This issue stems from insufficient policy enforcement mechanisms that fail to properly validate graphics rendering operations, creating a pathway for remote code execution through maliciously crafted web content. The vulnerability specifically affects Chrome versions prior to 86.0.4240.183, where the ANGLE component responsible for graphics processing does not adequately enforce security boundaries during heap memory operations. The flaw manifests when a remote attacker constructs a specially designed HTML page that triggers improper memory management within the graphics rendering pipeline, potentially leading to heap corruption and arbitrary code execution.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper handling of graphics command sequences within ANGLE's graphics processing layer. When Chrome processes web content containing malicious graphics operations, the ANGLE library fails to properly validate the memory allocation and deallocation patterns, leading to heap corruption conditions. This weakness allows attackers to manipulate heap memory structures through carefully crafted graphics commands embedded in HTML pages, potentially overwriting critical memory locations or executing arbitrary code within the browser's security context. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of graphics rendering and memory management, where insufficient input validation enables attackers to exploit memory corruption patterns that could be leveraged for privilege escalation.
The operational impact of CVE-2020-16005 extends beyond simple browser exploitation, as it represents a sophisticated attack vector that can be weaponized against users of affected Chrome versions. Attackers can craft HTML pages containing malicious WebGL or Direct3D commands that, when rendered by the vulnerable browser, trigger heap corruption and potentially lead to full system compromise. The vulnerability's remote exploitation capability means that users can be targeted without requiring any local interaction, making it particularly dangerous in phishing campaigns or drive-by download scenarios. This flaw aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for script-based execution and CWE-121 for heap-based buffer overflow conditions, demonstrating how graphics processing components can serve as attack vectors for memory corruption exploits.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability primarily focus on updating to Chrome version 86.0.4240.183 or later, which includes enhanced policy enforcement mechanisms within ANGLE. Organizations should implement immediate patch management procedures to ensure all affected systems receive the security updates. Additional protective measures include deploying web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious graphics content, implementing browser hardening policies that restrict graphics API access, and monitoring for unusual graphics processing patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The fix addresses the underlying policy enforcement gaps by introducing stricter validation of graphics command sequences and enhanced memory boundary checking within the ANGLE component, aligning with industry best practices for secure graphics library implementation and reducing the attack surface for heap-based memory corruption exploits.