CVE-2023-5474 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE • 10/25/2023
Heap buffer overflow in PDF in Google Chrome prior to 118.0.5993.70 allowed a remote attacker who convinced a user to engage in specific user interactions to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted PDF file. (Chromium security severity: Medium)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/30/2023
The vulnerability CVE-2023-5474 represents a heap buffer overflow flaw discovered in Google Chrome's PDF rendering component prior to version 118.0.5993.70. This issue resides within the chromium codebase and specifically affects the handling of maliciously crafted PDF files that can trigger memory corruption during document processing. The vulnerability is classified as a medium severity issue by the Chromium security team, indicating potential for exploitation in targeted attacks. The flaw manifests when Chrome processes PDF content that contains malformed or specially constructed data elements designed to exceed allocated memory boundaries. Such buffer overflows can lead to unpredictable behavior including application crashes, memory corruption, or potentially arbitrary code execution depending on exploitation circumstances.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs within Chrome's PDF viewer engine where heap memory is allocated to store PDF document data structures. When processing malicious PDF files, the parser fails to properly validate input boundaries, allowing an attacker to craft PDF content that writes beyond allocated buffer space. This heap corruption can occur during parsing operations such as handling font data, graphics objects, or embedded JavaScript within PDF documents. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only user interaction with a malicious PDF file to potentially trigger exploitation, making it a remote code execution vector that could be delivered through email attachments, web downloads, or compromised websites. The flaw demonstrates a classic memory safety issue that violates fundamental secure coding principles and represents a failure in input validation mechanisms.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-5474 extends beyond simple application instability to potentially enable sophisticated attack scenarios. Remote attackers can craft PDF files that, when opened by an affected Chrome version, will execute malicious code on the target system. The exploitation typically requires social engineering to convince victims to open the crafted PDF document, but once opened, the vulnerability can be leveraged to bypass security controls such as address space layout randomization and data execution protection. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 (Exploitation for Client Execution) and demonstrates how PDF processing can serve as an attack surface for privilege escalation or system compromise. The medium severity classification indicates that while exploitation is not trivial, it represents a significant risk to users who frequently interact with PDF documents from untrusted sources. Organizations relying on Chrome for document viewing are particularly vulnerable to targeted attacks exploiting this flaw.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-5474 primarily focus on immediate version updates to Chrome 118.0.5993.70 or later, which contain the necessary patches to prevent heap buffer overflow conditions. System administrators should implement automated update policies to ensure all Chrome installations remain current with security patches. Additional protective measures include implementing PDF sandboxing features, using content filtering solutions to scan PDF attachments, and educating users about avoiding suspicious PDF files from unknown sources. Network security controls such as web application firewalls and email security gateways can help detect and block malicious PDF content before it reaches user systems. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of following secure coding practices including bounds checking, memory allocation validation, and regular security code reviews. Organizations should conduct vulnerability assessments to identify systems running outdated Chrome versions and prioritize remediation efforts. This case exemplifies the ongoing challenges in PDF processing security and the critical need for robust input validation and memory safety mechanisms in browser components. The flaw serves as a reminder of how complex document formats can introduce significant attack vectors requiring continuous security monitoring and patch management processes.