CVE-2021-21190 : What You Need to Know

Uninitialized data in PDFium in Google Chrome prior to 89.0.4389.72 allowed a remote attacker to obtain potentially sensitive information from process memory via a crafted PDF file.

Understanding CVE-2021-21190

What is CVE-2021-21190?

CVE-2021-21190 is a vulnerability in Google Chrome that allowed a remote attacker to access sensitive information from a system's memory by exploiting uninitialized data in PDFium.

The Impact of CVE-2021-21190

The impact of this vulnerability is significant as it could lead to the exposure of potentially sensitive information stored in the process memory.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-21190

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability stemmed from uninitialized data in PDFium, which an attacker could exploit via a maliciously crafted PDF file to access sensitive information.

Affected Systems and Versions

Google Chrome versions prior to 89.0.4389.72 are affected by this vulnerability.

Exploitation Mechanism

A remote attacker could exploit this vulnerability by tricking a user into opening a specially crafted PDF file, allowing them to extract sensitive information from the system's memory.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

To mitigate the risk associated with CVE-2021-21190, users should update their Google Chrome browser to version 89.0.4389.72 or later. It is also recommended to avoid opening PDF files from untrusted or unknown sources.

Long-Term Security Practices

In the long term, users are advised to keep their software up to date, exercise caution while interacting with files from unfamiliar sources, and implement additional security measures such as using antivirus software and firewalls.

Patching and Updates

Google has released a stable channel update for desktop, addressing this vulnerability. Users are strongly encouraged to apply this patch to ensure protection against potential exploitation.