CVE-2011-0478 in Chrome
Summary
by MITRE
Google Chrome before 8.0.552.237 and Chrome OS before 8.0.552.344 do not properly handle SVG use elements, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via unknown vectors that lead to a "stale pointer."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/12/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-0478 represents a critical memory safety issue affecting Google Chrome browser versions prior to 8.0.552.237 and Chrome OS versions before 8.0.552.344. This flaw resides in the browser's handling of Scalable Vector Graphics use elements, which are fundamental components for rendering vector graphics within web pages. The issue manifests as improper memory management during the processing of these SVG elements, creating a condition where stale pointers can persist in memory, potentially leading to unpredictable behavior and system instability.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the browser's insufficient validation and memory cleanup mechanisms when processing SVG use elements. When Chrome encounters these elements, it fails to properly invalidate or update memory references that point to previously processed content, resulting in stale pointer conditions. This memory corruption vulnerability can be exploited by remote attackers who craft malicious web pages containing specially constructed SVG use elements designed to trigger the memory management flaw. The stale pointer condition creates a scenario where the browser attempts to access memory locations that have already been freed or repurposed, leading to potential crashes or memory corruption.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-0478 extends beyond simple denial of service conditions, as the vulnerability could potentially enable more severe consequences including arbitrary code execution or information disclosure. Attackers can leverage this flaw by hosting malicious web content that triggers the SVG processing path, causing the browser to crash or behave unpredictably when attempting to render the malformed elements. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-466, which describes the improper handling of pointers that have been freed, and represents a classic example of memory safety issues that have plagued web browsers for years. The potential for unspecified other impacts suggests that the stale pointer condition could be exploited to gain additional privileges or access system resources beyond simple browser crashes.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected Chrome browser versions and Chrome OS installations to the patched releases that address the memory management issues in SVG processing. System administrators should implement comprehensive browser update policies to ensure all users have the latest security patches installed. Organizations should also consider implementing web content filtering solutions that can detect and block malicious SVG content, though this approach provides only partial protection since the vulnerability can be triggered through various attack vectors. The fix implemented by Google addressed the underlying memory management issues in the SVG rendering engine and proper pointer invalidation during element processing, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for operating system command and scripting interface. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify any remaining instances of the vulnerable browser versions within organizational networks, as this type of memory corruption vulnerability can serve as a gateway for more sophisticated attacks.