CVE-2011-0477 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Google Chrome before 8.0.552.237 and Chrome OS before 8.0.552.344 do not properly handle a mismatch in video frame sizes, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (incorrect memory access) or possibly have unspecified other impact via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/12/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2011-0477 represents a critical memory handling flaw in Google Chrome browser versions prior to 8.0.552.237 and Chrome OS versions before 8.0.552.344. This issue stems from improper handling of video frame size mismatches within the browser's multimedia processing capabilities, creating a potential attack surface that could be exploited by remote adversaries. The vulnerability specifically affects the browser's ability to correctly manage memory allocation and access patterns when processing video content with inconsistent frame dimensions, leading to potential system instability or more severe consequences.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the browser's video processing subsystem which fails to properly validate or handle discrepancies in video frame sizes during playback operations. When Chrome encounters video content where frame dimensions do not match expected parameters, the memory management routines become corrupted, resulting in incorrect memory access patterns. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-125, which describes "Out-of-bounds Read" conditions where programs access memory locations outside the intended boundaries. The flaw manifests as a buffer over-read or under-read condition that can trigger memory corruption and subsequent system crashes.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for users engaging with multimedia content online. Remote attackers can leverage this weakness to initiate denial of service attacks by crafting malicious video content that triggers the memory corruption behavior. The unspecified nature of potential additional impacts suggests that beyond simple service disruption, attackers might be able to execute arbitrary code or gain elevated privileges depending on the execution environment. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that users need not interact with malicious content directly, as simply loading a compromised webpage containing the malicious video could trigger the attack vector.
The attack surface for this vulnerability aligns with the ATT&CK framework's T1203 technique for "Exploitation for Client Execution" where adversaries exploit software vulnerabilities to execute malicious code on target systems. This particular vulnerability could be classified under T1059 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter" if exploitation leads to command execution, or T1499 for "Endpoint Denial of Service" when the primary impact is service disruption. The attack chain typically involves delivering malicious video content through web browsers, which then triggers the memory corruption when the browser attempts to render the problematic video frames.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-0477 primarily focus on immediate software updates and browser patching to ensure all users are running patched versions of Chrome and Chrome OS. Organizations should implement automated patch management systems to ensure timely deployment of security updates. Additionally, network administrators can consider implementing content filtering solutions that block suspicious video content or employ sandboxing techniques to limit the potential impact of exploitation attempts. Browser hardening configurations should be applied to disable unnecessary multimedia features and implement stricter memory access controls. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify potential exploitation vectors and ensure that all systems remain protected against similar vulnerabilities in the browser's multimedia processing subsystems.