CVE-2021-37984 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting Google Chrome due to a heap buffer overflow in the PDFium component. This flaw allows a remote attacker to potentially exploit heap corruption through a crafted HTML page. The CVSS score for this vulnerability is 8.8, indicating a high risk to organizations using affected versions of Chrome.
The vulnerability affects versions of Google Chrome prior to 95.0.4638.54. Given the nature of the vulnerability, it can be exploited over a network with low complexity, requiring no privileges and some user interaction. This vulnerability presents significant risks as it can compromise confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Organizations should prioritize patching immediately. The exploitation status of this vulnerability indicates that there are currently no known exploits available, but that should not diminish the urgency of remediation. The potential impact of this vulnerability on an organization could be severe, making it critical to address it promptly.
With the increasing number of attacks targeting web browsers, it is essential for organizations to remain vigilant and proactive in their security measures. Regular updates and patches are vital to protect against vulnerabilities such as CVE-2021-37984.
Vulnerability Details
According to the official CVE description, the vulnerability allows a remote attacker to exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page. The CVSS v3.1 vector for this vulnerability is CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H, reflecting a high severity level.
The affected versions of Google Chrome include all versions prior to 95.0.4638.54. The vulnerability falls under the CWE classification of CWE-787. The vulnerability was published on November 2, 2021.
Technical Analysis
The root cause of this vulnerability is a heap buffer overflow, which occurs when the program writes more data to a buffer than it can hold. This can lead to memory corruption. The attack vector is over the network, making it accessible to remote attackers.
The complexity of the attack is low, and it requires no privileges to exploit. However, it does require user interaction, as the victim must open a malicious HTML page. The impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is high, as successful exploitation can lead to unauthorized access and control over the affected system.
Risk & Impact Analysis
Risk to organizations includes potential unauthorized access to sensitive data and system control. The blast radius could be significant, affecting not only the individual systems running the vulnerable Chrome version but potentially extending to the networks they are connected to.
Given the CVSS score of 8.8 and the lack of known exploits, the urgency for remediation is high. Organizations should address this vulnerability in their priority patch cycle to reduce the likelihood of exploitation.
Signal | Status |
|---|---|
Known Exploit | No |
Public PoC | No |
Actively Exploited | No |
Ransomware Use | No |
Affected Versions
The affected versions of Google Chrome include all versions prior to 95.0.4638.54. Additionally, Debian Linux versions 10.0 and 11.0 are also vulnerable.
Mitigation & Remediation
To remediate this vulnerability, organizations should update to the latest version of Google Chrome immediately. Regular patching and updating of applications are essential to avoid vulnerabilities.
In cases where an update cannot be deployed immediately, organizations should consider implementing network controls to limit exposure to potential attacks.
For further guidance on security testing, organizations should refer to penetration testing methodology to validate fixes and identify similar weaknesses.
Detection Guidance
To detect potential exploitation of this vulnerability, organizations should monitor logs for unusual access patterns and behaviors indicative of exploitation attempts.
Additionally, monitoring network traffic for known malicious URLs and unusual outgoing connections can help in identifying compromised systems.
AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight
CVE-2021-37984 is a reminder of the importance of regular updates and security awareness in application development and usage. Security teams should analyze their patch management processes to ensure timely updates and mitigate risks.
This vulnerability also highlights the necessity for comprehensive security testing practices, such as web application penetration testing, to uncover potential weaknesses before they can be exploited.
Security teams should also consider implementing a vulnerability management program that includes regular assessments and updates to safeguard against emerging threats.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
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