CVE-2014-7904

What it actually does

Buffer overflow in the Skia graphics library allows remote attackers to corrupt memory and achieve denial of service or arbitrary code execution through specially crafted content.

Why it matters to the business

Unpatched browsers can be compromised when users visit malicious sites, leading to potential data theft, malware installation, and disruption of daily operations until updates are applied.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker hosts or compromises a website containing malformed image or vector data that triggers the Skia buffer overflow when rendered by an affected Chrome instance, resulting in memory corruption that can be leveraged for code execution.

How to fix it

Upgrade Google Chrome to version 39.0.2171.65 or later. Apply browser updates automatically where possible and remove unsupported legacy versions from the environment.

How to confirm the fix worked

Verify that all endpoints report Chrome version 39.0.2171.65 or newer through enterprise management consoles or scripted inventory checks; confirm absence of crash reports linked to Skia rendering.

Typical attack path

1. Attacker prepares malicious web content exploiting Skia buffer handling
2. Victim is directed to the attacker-controlled or compromised site
3. Browser renders the content and triggers the overflow
4. Memory corruption is used to execute attacker-supplied code
5. Attacker establishes persistence or exfiltrates data

How to detect it

Review browser crash logs and telemetry for Skia rendering failures; correlate with web proxy logs showing access to recently created or low-reputation domains serving image or SVG content.

What your security team should do

• Prioritize immediate browser updates across all managed devices
• Enable automatic updates and enforce policies that prevent downgrades
• Monitor for Skia-related crash reports as indicators of attempted exploitation
• Restrict rendering of untrusted image or vector content until patches are confirmed